


Cirque de Joie

by Sharmain



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Circus, Cirque, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-03-04
Packaged: 2017-11-29 09:56:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 74,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/685650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharmain/pseuds/Sharmain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine has been part of the Cirque de Joie ever since he ran away from home, being the 'handy man' around the circus. He's watched his talented friends perform in the spotlight night after night, yearning to feel the warmth of it's glow himself. Just when he thought there was nothing left for him, a new aerialist joins the Cirque.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! So Cirque, as you probably know, has been on ff.net for a while now (2 years!). Just for convenience sake (and the fact that Ao3 is sooooo much better) I'm moving it over here so I can keep all of my stories in one place. So here ya go. While I post all of the chapters I'm going to proofread them, because I'm painfully aware that there are grammatical errors in the original that desperately need to be fixed, so hopefully it'll be an easier read once I've got 'em all up!
> 
> -Cassy

 

The moon glowed full and silver in the starry night. Sounds of insects serenaded those still awake in the late hour. Voices rose above the glow of paper lanterns strung between trees, excited and ringing. Children laughed in excitement and adults chattered feverishly, journeying to their vehicles after a night of wonder and magic at the Cirque de Joie.

As the last of the circus goers filed out of the big top, a boy with curly black hair stepped outside, black plastic bag in hand. He yawned before bending down to scoop up a half-eaten box of popcorn, throwing it into the bag. The girl beside him laughed.

"It's amazing how much people will spend on things they'll barely even eat," she said, striding alongside the curly haired boy, stopping just in front of him to pick up a pink gum ball.

"Yeah, but not all people are quite as conservative as we are, Quinn," he pointed out, plucking the gum ball out of her hand and chucking it into the black bag to join the popcorn.

"Not as conservative as me is more like it, Blaine. I know how you like to buy things before thinking," Quinn said, putting he hands on her hips. She was still decked out in her costume, sequins glittering in the glow of paper lanterns, glinting hues of orange, yellow, and red off of silver. She pushed a perfectly sculpted golden curl out of her bedazzled eyes. "Have you even  _used_ that waffle iron you bought in the last town we were in?"

Blaine's cheeks burned. "No, but I haven't had an occasion for it yet!" Quinn rolled her glittering blue eyes.

"What would be an occasion that calls for waffles in the shape of Julie Andrew's face?" Silence. "Blaine?"

Blaine cautiously picked up a paper bag covered in an unknown substance emitting a smell akin to cabbage before answering.

"When it comes up, I'll let you know," he said, dropping it into the bag. "I don't think I want to know what was on that." Blaine grimaced. "It smelled really funny." Quinn laughed, a high-pitched, childish laugh.

"Better you than me!" she said, wrinkling her nose. She glanced over her shoulder to two girls decked out in jewel tones and glitter standing by a pole supporting a string of lights, giggling. A sigh escaped her red lips. "I wish those two would help with clean up once in a while. Everyone else helps." She swept her arm out, gesturing to the scattered mess of people clad in various circus costumes. They were all divided into groups, some toting garbage bags while their partners picked up trash; others fixing fallen decorations and hangings, making sure that everything looked neat and in its place for the next round tomorrow. One pair, an Asian boy and girl, were trying to re-hang a set of streamers.

The girl seemed to be arguing with the boy, gesturing that she was too short to reach the place it was originally strung. She placed her palm to the top of her head before extending her arm up as far as it would go, indicating the height difference, jumping up higher to prove her point. The boy sighed, bending down to one knee, holding out his hands, fingers laced together. The girl giggled, placing a foot there. She placed one hand on his shoulder and the streamers in the other, laughing as the boy lifted her up, holding her foot level to his belly button. Her other leg dangled behind her, bent at the knee and toes pointed up gracefully like a dancer. She hung the streamers back to its original position, smiling down to the boy. She squealed as the boy threw her up into the air, catching her in his arms. They rubbed their noses together lovingly before the girl jumped out of the boys arms. They both ran off, out of sight, laughing at each other.

"Eh," Blaine said, shrugging. "Santana and Brittany never help with clean up. They'd rather gossip about the boys ogling at them during the performance." His bag was almost full with discarded wrappers, food, and broken toys. He went to bend down and grab another discarded cotton candy cone when he spotted a small, yellow, plush bird lying in the dirt, forgotten by some inattentive child. His eyes softened, dark brows lowering over hazel eyes. He always hated seeing stuffed animals left behind. Putting the garbage bag down as he walked, he strode towards the bird. He bent down,  wrapping his finger around the small form. It was virtually unblemished, save for the smudge of dirt over its left wing. He ran his thumb over it, feeling the soft material. How could someone just leave it lying in the dirt? Its blue eyes glinted up at him, almost playful.

"Another one?" Quinn asked, standing behind Blaine. "How could someone have such a charming little bird and then just leave it?" She scooped up the garbage bag, walking towards the dumpster. Blaine stood up, cradling the small bird in his hand. Sometimes he really didn't like the children that came to the circus. They made messes, cried during performances, and left poor, little stuffed animals in the dirt like the little companions meant nothing.

He heard the hard slam of Quinn tossing the bag into the dumpster. Many others were heading towards the dumpster with garbage bags as well. Blaine turned towards the dumpster and saw Puck, a mohawked boy, talking animatedly with a girl named Rachel as he threw his bag in. She laughed loudly at something he said, glancing over her shoulder at Finn, who was speaking to Sam, who was juggling tennis balls. Quinn strutted back toward him. She reached out a long, slender hand and plucked the bird from Blaine's fingers. She held it close to her face, examining it with an inquisitive gaze before placing it safely back in Blaine's hand.

"Another one for your collection," she said, eyeing it again. Blaine laughed.

"Let's l see who shows up this time," he said, placing the bird in the pocket of his vest. "Hopefully no one like Rachel." He eyed the brunette who was now talking so loudly to Puck that Finn was glaring at her, ready to throw a rubber mallet at her head. Quinn chuckled.

"We can only hope. Hey, maybe we'll get a guy for you. You need more guy friends." She gave Blaine a two finger salute before sashaying over to Mercedes, who was affectionately scratching the ear of a large, white tiger a ways away, the large, purring beast poking its nose out of a large, steel cage. Blaine rolled his eyes, turning to survey the camp. Everything seemed to be in order. William, the Ringmaster, was doing the final check he always did before anyone was allowed to go to bed. Blaine rubbed the back of his neck, fighting the urge to yawn. He wasn't sure if he could handle another show like the one tonight. It wasn't bad, just exhausting. He had to help with far too many costume changes for his liking. He didn't mind all that much, it was part of his job description after all. He was the handy man of the circus, helping in any and every way that he could. But tonight had been awful, with Brittany's strap breaking, Quinn not being able to find a shoe, and Artie misplacing his magic wand, it was stressful to say the least. Not to mention the fiasco with Mercedes and her tigers, who weren't getting along as of late.

Losing the battle with his urge to yawn, Blaine felt his chest expand, body flooding his brain with much needed oxygen. Man, he was tired. Taking a quick look to make sure that Will wasn't looking in his direction, Blaine tiptoed away from the circus to the the small camp of tents a ways away. He found his and ducked inside, lighting an oil lamp before walking over to a large chest. He opened it up, pulling out a pair of flannel pants and a t-shirt. He quickly changed and placed his clothes in a pile. Before laying down the shimmery purple and red vest he wore every day, he took out the small, yellow bird. Smiling to himself, he placed it with the eleven other animals he's found in the past. Each one represented a member of the circus. The friends that joined after him: Tina, Mike, Mercedes, Sam, Quinn, Puck, Artie, Santana, Brittany, Finn, and Rachel. He had found each of their stuffed animals days before they joined the circus. Now his little yellow bird sat with the others, seemingly out of place and yet like it belonged there.

Blaine settled into his cot, wondering who it was who would be joining the family of Cirque de Joie next.

"Who are you?" he asked, before falling to sleep.

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Wake UP!" Mercedes yelled into Blaine's ear for the fourth time, rapping her knuckles on his forehead. "You've got to get up and help get everything ready for tonight!" Blaine groaned, rolling over. Mercedes huffed, slamming a pillow over Blaine's head.

"OW! What was that for?" Blaine groaned, rubbing the back of his head. He sat up, glaring at Mercedes, who was standing over him with her hands on her hips. She gave him a "get-the-hell-up-before-I-sick-my-tigers-on-you" look. He swore, swinging his legs over the side of his cot and standing up. He stretched, reaching his arms over his head. He heard a satisfying ' _crack_ ' and felt a rush of warmth between his shoulder blades before lowering his arms to his sides. He ran a hand through his mess of curly hair, groaning when his fingers became stuck in tangles.

"Will wants you out there in ten minutes," Mercedes said. "He's said that there's going to be a big crowd tonight, so be prepared. He's got you on food today." She laughed when Blaine made a face of disgust. "I know how much that sucks. You want me to help?" Blaine rolled his shoulders, shaking his head when they popped into place.

"Nah, I got this. But thanks for the offer Mercedes. It almost makes me want to forgive you for such a rude awakening."

"Be glad it wasn't Rachel," Mercedes said, eyes glinting. "She would have sung you awake, and we all know what happened last time." Blaine smacked his forehead. That wasn't a very pleasurable experience. Mercedes bid him farewell and left the tent. The late morning sunshine streamed through the opening of the tent, alighting dust particles as they drifted through the air. Blaine dressed himself, shrugging on his purple and red vest. Today was going to be a very long day.

He hated working with food.

 

 

"Mommy! I wanted  _blue_  cotton candy!" a small boy in a Pokémon shirt whined. Blaine was stuck selling sweets this night, and oh how he _loathed_  it. The little boy glared at his  _pink_  cotton candy. Blaine looked at the boy's mother.

"I'm sorry ma'am," he said, trying not to lose his cool. "We're out of the blue sugar, but I assure you that the pink taste just the same." He gave her an apologetic look, trying to avoid a tantrum.

"But pink is a  _girly_  color!" the boy said angrily. "I'm not a  _girl_!"

"C'mon, honey," said the mother, tugging her little boy along before Blaine blew a fuse. There were a lot of people at the Cirque de Joie tonight, all hoping to catch the show before the circus rolled out of town in the morning. So far he had three children claim that he handled their food with dirty fingers, one claim that he had licked his caramel apple before handing it to him, and two throw their lollipops back into his face. One had glued itself to his hair and he had to take a knife and saw it off, much to his dismay. His hair was going to look awful for weeks.

It was just about time for the show in the big top to start, so Blaine started pulling everything back into the cart he was stationed in. He closed the panel before stepping out, breathing a sigh of relief. He quietly tip-toed into the back entrance of the tent. Will was already introducing the first act, Mike and Tina on the trapeze. Blaine walked around, asking if anyone needed any help. After helping lace up a costume or two, and after zipping Brittany up and seeing enough boob to last him a lifetime, he sat in a fold out chair in the back, listening to the  _'oo_ 's and ' _ahh_ 's of the crowd as Mike slung Tina up into the air, only to have her fall right back into his arms as they swung overhead an ogling crowd.

Blaine watched as each act walked in and out to the crowd. Their faces were lit up with excitement and the thrill of performance. He could feel the energy, almost like electricity, radiating through the air. He could almost get high off of it, basking in the glory of his friends. As the acts dwindled down, he got up, beginning the routine of cleaning up the back. He put costumes back into boxes, props inro containers. He helped the girls remove their makeup after the show was over, unsticking facial jewels and false eyelashes. He helped the guys sort all of their equipment for the long journey to their next destination.

Blaine didn't know what it was. Maybe it was because he had been in the circus for so long, but it seemed so  _boring_ , doing the same thing performance after performance. He wished he could go out there and perform with everyone else, but he didn't have a talent like the others. He could sing, but that didn't help him with the big top acts.

As Blaine walked past the entrance from back stage to the ring, he heard Will's voice speaking with a higher, softer voice. Blaine stopped in his tracks, peering through the entrance. He knew Will's tone of voice anywhere. It was the tone that meant business. The one Blaine always heard before someone new joined their family.

Speaking to Will was a slender boy with brown hair, combed up and out of his face. His skin was pale, like the moon. Blaine was entranced by him. The boy spoke softly and swiftly, speaking to Will feverishly, like he was begging him for something. Will laughed, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. He gestured towards the giant, blue silk hanging from the ceiling. The boy gazed at the silk with determined eyes. He took his shoes off and strode towards the silk with a grace like a pro. Blaine watched with inquisitive eyes as the boy gripped the silk in both of his hands, wrapping the silk around one of his feet before hoisting himself upwards with a strength Blaine didn't think the boy possessed.

The boy hoisted himself into the air, climbing up the silk with expertise that outshined even Mike. He climbed halfway up the silk before running his slender fingers through the middle, dividing it. Locking the leg with the foot tangled in the silk, he bent backwards, back arching gracefully and he swept his arm out in a graceful motion. He leaned forward again, grabbing the other side of the silk and wrapping it around his other foot. Slowly, he gripped the silks on either side, before sliding into a split in midair, suspended by his feet. Blaine's eye's bugged out of his head. The boy was so  _flexible_.

The boy continued taking on various positions on the silk, moving gracefully like a swan or a dancer, defying gravity with many of his moves. Will seemed to be enjoying himself, a wide grin plastered to his face. The boy's expression was unreadable, it was the most serene, angelic face Blaine had ever seen, but the boy's eyes held a fire that was intense and burning. Blaine knew he shouldn't be staring at the boy like he was, but he couldn't look away.

The boy began to wrap the silk around his waist, winding it around over and over. He let out and audible breath before releasing his hold on the silk, unwinding himself from the fabric. Blaine almost cried out as the boy untwisted rapidly from the silk, falling to the ground. At the last possible second he grasped the blue material, inches from the mat on the floor. Will laughed a loud, surprised laugh and clapped as the boy lowered himself down, untangling himself from the silk. Will strode over towards him, his face alight with excitement.

"That was amazing!" he said, hands on his hips. The boy stood, stoic, watching Will with apprehensive eyes. "We definitely need you in our show! We only have one male aerialist. You'd be a great addition!" Will extended his hand. The boy stared at it for a moment, surprised, before taking Will's hand in his, grinning from ear to ear. Will laughed and wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Just bring your things in the morning! I'm sure you're gonna like it here," he said. He led the boy out of Blaine's sight, walking towards the main exit of the tent. Blaine craned his neck, trying to catch one last look at the boy before they both disappeared outside.

"Spying are we?" a voice from behind said. Blaine jumped, breath catching in his throat. He whipped around to see Mercedes, who was cackling with laughter behind him. She grinned at him, crossing her arms.

"Looks like we have a new addition to our little family. Did you  _see_  his performance?" Blaine's eyes glazed over, remembering the moment like he would for forever. The delicate and yet powerful movements of that boy, it was mesmerizing.

"It was amazing!" Blaine exclaimed. "Wait, how did you watch it?" Mercedes gestured to the main entrance.

"Same as you, except I was watching from there," she explained. "Looks like Mike has some competition coming his way. I can't wait to get to get to know that boy." Blaine grinned. Just then he realized, he didn't know the boy's _name_.

"Uh, Mercedes," he started, "Did you happen to catch his name?" Mercedes looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head.

"Nope, sorry." She smirked. "But we'll find out tomorrow won't we?" She walked out of the tent, leaving Blaine with his thoughts. He sighed, plopping back down in his chair. He was excited about the boy joining the circus, but he was nervous. What if they didn't get along? What if the boy treated him more like the ' _help_ ' and not part of the performance family? It's never happened before, but he was always afraid that someone would come along and hold him at a lower spot on the totem pole because he wasn't a performer. Blaine put his head in his hands. So this was who the little yellow bird symbolized. He hoped that he could befriend this graceful boy. Quinn was right, he needed more guy friends.

Blaine stretched his arms before standing up, taking one more glance around the back to make sure everything was in its place before stepping out of the tent and into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

 

The sun had barely climbed into the sky when everyone in the circus was hustling and bustling to pack everything up before they set out to their next town. Tents were being disassembled; decorations were being placed in boxes or in trash bags. Blaine was currently helping to take down the big top.

"C'mon guys!" he yelled, pulling hard on a rope. They had already taken down the sides and were preparing to pull down the top. All of the inside equipment had already been put in its proper place. Blaine was stationed on top of the tent, unlacing the top. The other men helping had fallen into conversation, neglecting their duties. "We've got to head out by eight you know!" he reminded them, shooting a particularly nasty look towards Puck. The men groaned before going back to work, pulling up stakes and removing ropes. Blaine finished unlacing the top and climbed down a ladder close by. They took down the support poles on the inside before lowering the top down, pulling up the spikes that had been driven into the ground to make sure it didn't go anywhere. After helping to roll the top, he set about with a hammer, pulling up the longer and more stubborn metal spikes from the earth.

It wasn't long before everything was rolled into trailers and trucks. ' _Record time_ ,' Blaine had thought to himself. He had already placed all of his belongings in a trailer. The only thing unloaded of his was his backpack he always kept his important things in. It sat off to the side by his guitar case. Now all there was to do was to double check all the trucks and trailers before heading out. But where was that boy that had danced so gracefully on the silks last night?

Blaine hadn't seen him once since he'd gotten up early this morning. Surely the boy knew when the circus would leave? Mercedes seemed to have the same thought, looking over at Blaine with inquisitive eyes from her position in front of the cages that contained her tigers. Blaine shrugged, scanning the areas with his eyes once more. Will seemed to be unfazed by the absence of their newest aerialist, chatting happily with Emma, one of the female workers that helped with costumes. With a sigh, Blaine set out to find out if he was needed anywhere else. He passed Santana and Brittany, who were flirting with the resident "danger man" Puck. Puck leaned against a trailer, machete in hand. He always seemed to have one of the many weapons he wielded with him wherever he went. Blaine reasoned that it was more to show off than anything else. He was just glad Puck didn't carry around fire to feel like a badass.

Artie was speaking animatedly with Tina, talking about a new trick he had in mind for his magic show. Tina nodded politely, periodically glancing in Mike's direction, who was currently juggling back and forth with Sam. Blaine glanced around for Quinn, who was nowhere in sight. Just then he ran into something hard. He ricocheted backwards and hit the earth with a ' _thump_ ', dazed by the sudden stop in momentum. He looked up to see Mercedes, holding a hand clad in fishnet out for him to grab. He mumbled a quiet "sorry" before taking her hand in his, hoisting himself up. She laughed at Blaine's bewildered expression and pointed in the direction of Will, whose back was to them. He was speaking to none other than the boy aerialist. His hair seemed to glow in the early morning light, like a halo that encircled his soft face. He was dressed in converse, skinny jeans, and a red leather jacket and he had a duffle bag on his shoulder. Blaine smiled and looked to Mercedes, who was evaluating the newcomer. Blaine watched as Will held up a finger to the boy in a silent  _'one moment'_. He then turned around and cupped his hands to his mouth.

'Everyone!" he yelled. "Everyone! I have someone I'd like you to meet! We have a new family member!" People filed out from their various posts. Some walked lazily out of trailers while others blushed madly as they strode out from behind trees. The boy shifted his weight nervously, blue eyes scanning the throng of people. Blaine and Mercedes swiftly made their way towards Will, hoping to get a better view of the aerialist. After everyone assembled into a semi-circle, Will placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, guiding him out for everyone to see.

"Ladies and gentlemen," He started, smiling out at everyone. "This is Kurt."

"Hi Kurt!" everyone said in unison. A few girls giggled as a blush crept up Kurt's face, staining his pale cheeks. Blaine said the name over and over in his head. ' _Kurt_ '. It was unusual. He'd never met anyone named Kurt before.

"He's going to be our newest addition to our aerialist act!" Will continued. Across the semi-circle, Blaine saw Mike pump his fist in the air with a resounding "Yes!" Kurt looked over, lips forming s small smile. Santana and Brittany waved their fingers at him, smiling seductively. Kurt gulped, averting his eyes from the display. As he moved his eyes, he noticed Blaine, who was staring at him. Blaine blushed from being caught and waved. Kurt tentatively waved back before looking up at Will, who began to speak once more.

"I want you all to be nice to him and show him the ropes! No, not those kinds of ropes Finn," Will said with a sigh as Finn held up a bundle of multi-colored rope in the air. A chorus of groans and "That was  _so_  not funny Finn," from Quinn and Tina resonated through the group. Kurt suppressed a chuckle and mumbled "It was kind of funny," too softly for anyone to hear. Will waved it off.

"Okay guys, let's move out! Kurt, see that boy over there with the curly black hair?" Will asked, pointing at Blaine. Mercedes laughed beside him as Blaine froze where he stood. Everyone else dispersed as Will led Kurt over to Blaine. Blaine swore he heard a "good luck" from Mercedes as she strutted away, leaving Blaine alone.

"This is Blaine," Will said, gesturing to Blaine. "He's kind of the go-to guy. If you have any questions ask him. Blaine, this is Kurt."

"Nice to meet you Kurt," Blaine said, putting on his most charming smile. He extended his hand, which Kurt took hesitantly, but gripped firmly. They shook hands and Will patted Kurt on the shoulder before leaving the two standing awkwardly, staring at each other. Kurt coughed and Blaine shifted his feet, unsure of what to say to the boy.

"So, Kurt," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Is this the first time you've been in a circus?" Kurt moved his hand back and forth.

"Sort of. I mean, I've done silks before in a few shows but I've never been in a traveling circus," he said awkwardly. "I'm really glad to be here, actually." Blaine wondered what that meant.

"Well we're uh, glad to have you," He said, throwing in a grin. "Mike's ecstatic to not be the only male aerialist anymore. You better watch out or he'll try to make you do all the hard work." Kurt laughed and Blaine gave himself a mental pat on the back. Before he could say anything else he heard Will yelling for everyone to get ready, they were moving out in five minutes.

"Um," Kurt said, unsurely. Blaine gestured to Kurt's bag.

"I'll take that for you if you like. I have to double check everything anyway." Kurt shrugged his bag off of his shoulder, handing it to Blaine. Blaine saw Mercedes making her way over to her truck.

"Mercedes!" He yelled, gesturing for her to come over. Her head whipped around and she smiled, reversing her direction. She waved at Kurt, who waved back with a shy smiled, then looked at Blaine with an arched eyebrow.

"Kurt, how about you ride with Mercedes? She's a good friend of mine," Blaine explained. "I have to go and double check everything and then get in the big truck with Will. Besides, Mercedes needs someone to ride shotgun." Kurt laughed and looked over at Mercedes.

"If you don't mind-" he began.

"Nah," Mercedes said, throwing out her hand. "I really do need some company. No one ever wants to ride the truck hauling the tigers." Kurt's eyes widened at 'tigers' but nodded, following Mercedes to her truck. They both waved over their shoulders, leaving Blaine alone. Blaine watched as Kurt walked away, impressed with the lithe, graceful way he strutted. Blaine took one last look before setting off to check each trailer and truck, making sure that everyone was in their right places and that everything was loaded. He placed Kurt's bag with his guitar case in a trailer and shrugged his bag onto his shoulder.

As he passed Mercedes's truck he waved. Kurt and Mercedes seemed to be having a heated discussion. Mercedes made a hand motion and Kurt laughed, shaking his head and explained something unintelligible to Blaine's ears. Blaine laughed to himself; those two were going to get along just fine. He made his way over to the main truck, which hauled a trailer behind it boasting 'Cirque de Joie' in loud, bright colors and swirling letters. He opened the door and hoisted himself into the passenger's seat. He looked at Will and nodded, signaling that everything was ready to go. Will turned the key in the ignition and the truck roared to life. Behind them Blaine could hear the sound of many engines igniting, ready to depart once more.

They were ready to go.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Kurt marveled at how fast it took the crew and cast members to set up all of the tents and booths. In no time at all the circus was set up and ready to go- the red and gold big top standing as the main attraction in the sea of lights and bright colors. He had offered his help, only to have everyone politely decline his offer, explaining that he didn't really know how to do anything yet, but that he'd learn soon.

So he stood, useless, watching as lanterns and twinkle lights were strung from poles and signs were staked into the ground- boasting attractions, prices, and food items. His mouth watered at the promise of funnel cake. He spotted Blaine to his left climbing up a tall ladder to string up a set of purple and yellow streamers extending from a booth sporting hot dogs to a pole located at the center of the food area. Blaine was struggling to reach the top of the pole despite the aid of a ladder. Suddenly his foot slipped on a rung and the ladder wobbled dangerously. Kurt gasped and ran towards Blaine.

"Be careful!" he warned, placing his hands on the ladder to steady it. Blaine jumped at the sound of Kurt's voice and stared down at him with apprehensive hazel eyes. Kurt averted his gaze, looking down at the grass. Blaine quickly fastened the streamers and stepped down the ladder, jumping the last few steps. He put his hand on a rung and leaned nonchalantly on the ladder, facing Kurt.

"Sorry about that," he said, trying to gauge Kurt's expression. He must have made Kurt assume that he became angry when he rushed over to help. He needed to fix that. "I didn't mean to act so annoyed when you came over, you just startled me." Kurt's head raised a fraction, but his gaze continued to be directed downwards.

"I should be thanking you actually," Blaine continued. "The ladder and I would have fallen if you hadn't rushed in to save the day. So thank you, Kurt." Kurt slowly raised his gaze to meet Blaine's and smiled. Good, now they were getting somewhere. Kurt let go of the ladder and ran his fingers through his hair.

"You're welcome. As funny as it would have been to see you totally face plant in the dirt with that streamer waving behind you in a blaze of glory, I bet this place wouldn't run as smoothly with you out of commission." Blaine stood, speechless for a moment and then laughed. Kurt chuckled nervously and locked eyes with Blaine. The two boys stood in silence for a beat or two before they heard footsteps scuffing in the grass. They both turned to see Mike flanked on either side with Brittany and Santana. Mike held his hand out to Kurt, who promptly shook it and eyed Mike questioningly.

"Hey, Kurt," Mike said after he released Kurt's hand. "I'm Mike and this is Brittany," he gestured to the blonde, who was staring at him with a cocked head, "and Santana," he said, gesturing to the Latina girl, who stared at Kurt seductively. "We're the aerialists of the Cirque de Joie."

"Nice to meet you all," Kurt said, holding his hand out first to Brittany, who shook it and then promptly told him he had pretty hands.

"Did you steal them from a model?" she asked softly. "I read a book about a boy who stole girl's hands. You don't want mine- my thumbs look like toes." Kurt made a small sound in his throat and looked to Blaine, who shook his head in a 'just-don't-ask' fashion. Kurt then gave Brittany a strangled smile and held his hand out to Santana. She wrapped her elegant hand around Kurt's. Suddenly Kurt jerked his hand away from Santana's like it was on fire, giving her a 'what-the _-hell_?' look complete with arched eyebrow that would make any diva faint, and held his hand to his chest. Santana continued to stare at him with her dark eyes. Her lips twisted into a smirk. It made Blaine uncomfortable.

" _Anyway_ ," Mike said, giving Santana a look. "We have a show in a few days and Will really wants to you go ahead and stick your foot in, metaphorically. We're going to teach you our routine for the show if you're not busy." Mike looked to Blaine, who shrugged, and looked to Kurt, who looked confused.

"Um, sure," he said, forming a small smile. "Just give me a minute with Blaine and I'll be right there." Mike nodded.

"Okay, just meet us in the big top when you're ready. You might want to change though- I don't think you'll be able to move too much in those jeans." Kurt looked down and blushed. Blaine tried not to look down at Kurt's tight pants, averting his gaze to stare off in a random direction. As Mike and the girls walked away, Blaine turned to Kurt, who was watching Santana walk away with an inappreciative gaze. Blaine raised an eyebrow.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned that Kurt had been spooked by Santana's sexually charged handshake. "Let me guess, she scratch your palm with her finger?" Kurt looked Blaine in the eye and nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. Blaine laughed and put his hand on Kurt's shoulder.

"She's just one of those sexual people, she doesn't usually mean anything by it," he assured, feeling Kurt's shoulders relax under his hand. Blaine shot Kurt one of his charming smiles and silently cheered to himself when Kurt smiled back.

"Well, I should probably go now," Kurt said, shrugging Blaine's hand off of his shoulder. "I need to start now if I'm ever going to get the routine down by Friday." Blaine nodded, mildly hurt that Kurt moved his hand away, but smiled at Kurt before he left him alone standing awkwardly by the ladder. Blaine followed Kurt with his eyes, watching as Kurt disappeared inside his tent, no doubt to change into something suit to practice silks in.

He sighed, leaning against the ladder. He heard the jingle of a hip scarf and looked over his shoulder to see Quinn walking up behind him. She gave him a knowing look and crossed her arms, nodding at Kurt's tent across the way.

"You two seem to be getting along," she said, the corner of her cherry lips turning up into a smile. "Glad to see you had nothing to fear." Blaine shrugged and sat on one of the ladder's rungs.

"We're getting along, but it's awkward," he admitted. "He seems to only really get along with Mercedes." Quinn laughed, leaning against the pole supporting the streamers. She crossed her arms and looked up to the sky, which was currently covered with swirling grey clouds. Blaine hoped it wouldn't rain- he hated trying to re-decorate after rain ripped down streamers and ribbons. He seemed to always injure himself trying to fix something after it rained.

"He's a little strange," Quinn said, looking back at Blaine. Blaine nodded, surveying all of the nearby tents and decorations. The area looked spectacular as always. But it was when night fell that the circus had the power to seduce patrons into its clutches with its bright colors, mysterious atmosphere, and the hint of danger inside every booth and tent. The Cirque de Joie was a night circus, only opening the minute the sun fell and the moon rose so it could turn on its lights that looked liked fireflies and lamps that glowed like balls of fire in the darkness. That's what had drawn Blaine to it in the first place. That and the sense of freedom that wafted from every corner of its domain.

"Anyway," Quinn said, observing her sparking lacquered nails. Blaine realized that he hadn't heard a single word she had said while he mused. He shifted, raising his head to look at her. She continued, apparently not realizing that her words had gone unheard. "He'll be a great addition to the act. I'm just worried about Santana freaking him out before we have the chance to show him off." Blaine grimaced.

"She's already scared him once today," he said. Quinn looked down at him, lowering her hand to play with the coins on her hip scarf. They made a light, jingling sound when they hit each other. It was mildly soothing.

"Did she shake his hand?" she asked, a smile creeping over her lips. Blaine nodded and she laughed, the coins on her hips jingling merrily with her movement.

"I didn't know a little angel like him would know what that gesture meant!" she said, crossing her arms over each other. She removed herself from leaning against the pole. Blaine stood, mirroring Quinn's crossed arms.

"Maybe he's not as angelic as you think," he said, grinning. Quinn smirked.

"I figured. You should steal a glance at him when he doesn't think anyone's looking at him. He looks like a kicked puppy." Blaine's smile fell. Just as he was about to ask what that meant, Quinn walked out of sight, the sound of jingling coins happily trailing behind her. Blaine frowned, wondering why Kurt looked, as Quinn put it, like a kicked puppy. Blaine looked over to the big top. He might as well watch the aerialists practice. He hoped to be mesmerized by Kurt like he had before.

With that thought, he set out towards the large tent. Unfortunately, Will spotted him walking briskly across the grass.

"Hey, hold it there partner," he said, heading towards the curly-haired boy. Blaine stopped, turning to Will.

"What's up?" he asked, hoping he wasn't in trouble for something. He hadn't even had a chance to pull a prank yet! Maybe Will was going to employ the policy of punishing him for "something he's going to do in the future". Blaine made a face. That would suck.

"No one's allowed to watch Mike teach Kurt the routine," Will said, steering Blaine away from the tent. "Not even you."

"Why?" Blaine asked, eyeing Will with a suspicious eye. So much for being mesmerized by Kurt's mad silk skills.

"I don't want to make him any more nervous than he already is!" Will stopped, placing his hands on Blaine's shoulders. "So one gets to see his performance save for Mike, Santana, Brittany, and I until opening night." He patted the top of Blaines's head and waltzed away, whistling an annoyingly cheery tune to himself. Blaine huffed and crossed his arms and huffed. Now what? He felt something wet fall onto his nose.

"Damn." He knew what he was going to be doing tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

 

Will smiled happily to himself, twirling his golden cane expertly around his index finger. Everything was going  _splendidly_.

He'd just checked on Mike practicing with the new aerialist, Kurt. He seemed to be learning quickly, and anything he wasn't getting he was practicing relentlessly until he got it right. Will liked to see that spirit in his performers. He just hoped that Kurt didn't crack when opening night came around.

As he rounded a corner outside the fortune teller's tent stationed a ways from the big top, he came across the figures of Brittany and Santana, who currently seemed like they were having a contest on who could suck the other's face off first. Santana seemed to be winning.

" _Excuse_  you!" Will exclaimed, rapping the two in the head with the bottom of his cane. They came apart with a ghastly ' _pop_ ' and promptly moved three feet away from each other, hands behind their back and eyes pointed towards the ground. Will pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Next time you want to explore what it's like to be a leech," he said, placing his gloved hands on his hips, "perhaps it would be wise to do it someplace private?" Santana rolled her eyes and Brittany rocked back and forth on her heels, twiddling her thumbs behind her back. They both apologized with a quiet "sorry" before walking past Will, heading towards Brittany's tent. No doubt to explore their newfound interest of pretending to be blood-sucking leeches. Will shook his head, continuing on his stroll throughout the circus.

It was beginning slip into dusk, the sun departing ways with the sky. The grass was still wet from yesterday's downpour of rain. Will chuckled to himself, remembering Blaine's outrage that morning at having to replace all of the streamers and decorations he had so painstakingly put up yesterday. Will was thankful for Blaine though, he always made sure that everything was perfect. Whistling a cheery tune to himself, Will disembarked on the last stretch of his afternoon stroll.

Meanwhile, Blaine was sitting in his tent, brooding. He hadn't gotten to witness any practice from the aerialists these past two days. Every time he had tried to slip into the big top, he had been thwarted on some way or another. The last time he tried, he'd been tackled to the ground by Santana. He'd have bruises on his back for weeks.

Opening night was only two days from now. Blaine hoped he wouldn't be too busy to watch the show, which he always was. Maybe this time he'd get lucky.

With that thought, Blaine reached out and wrapped his hand around the neck of his guitar. He set it on his lap and ran the fingers of his left hand over the fret board, feeling the steel strings under his calloused fingertips. He quietly began to strum, fingering chords he knew by memory from playing guitar for years. He hummed the melody of a song he didn't know to himself, not quite sure if it was an actual song or one he made up in his head. Either way, it felt soothing to sit and do something he loved without having to worry if it was perfect in the eyes of anyone else. His music grew in volume, flowing through his hands, his lips, and his heart. It was an old folk song he'd heard many a time, called  _All the Pretty Little Horses_. It was a haunting melody, but beautiful and rich and soothing to Blaine's ears. Blaine closed his eyes and sung softly as he strummed, a small smile playing his lips.

 

Kurt half walked, half stumbled across the circus towards the little encampment where all of the performers' tents were located. Everything hurt. His hair was drenched with sweat and his arms and thighs screamed from being stretched and pulled in ways they shouldn't in any normal circumstances. His eyes strained to focus in the darkening light, nearly tripping on a rope that wound across the damp grass. As he made is way over to his tent, he heard a soft, almost haunting melody flow through the air. Curious, he followed the sound.

His quest found him standing by a tent he knew as Blaine's. He tried to keep quiet as he leaned his ear close to the side of the tent, straining to hear the sound of guitar and soft tenor resonating through the dusk.

" _Black and bays, dapples, grays, all the pretty little horses. Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,  
go to sleep my little baby…_"

Kurt's eyes softened at the words. It was a lullaby, one he'd heard when he was young. He was touched by Blaine's soft tone, as if he were singing it to someone. Kurt wondered if there was someone in the tent with Blaine, but something told him that he was alone. Maybe it was the way Blaine sung, as if he were in his own little world.

Kurt didn't know this boy very well, but he made a note of asking him about his musical skills in the future, or at least to ask him to sing for him sometime. He really had a lovely voice. Kurt smiled to himself.

He heard Blaine's voice dwindling down, the strums of his guitar becoming slower and softer. Kurt took that as his cue to get a move on before he got caught. As quietly as he could, he stepped around the tent. He felt the coolness of the damp grass beneath his bare feet. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. As he placed his foot down for another step he felt his heel slip on the slick grass. He let out a yelp as he came crashing down to the ground. He heard movement in Blaine's tent before seeing a head topped with thick, curly hair pop out the front, looking around in the dark. Eyes squinted in the dim light before they spotted Kurt lying dazed in the grass.

With a gasp, Blaine hurried towards the Kurt, careful not to fall himself. He came to a halt beside Kurt, bending down and looking over him, making sure he hadn't injured himself when he fell.

"Are you okay?" he asked, holding his hand out. Kurt stared at Blaine's hand for a moment before taking it. Blaine pulled him up, brushing the wet blades of grass off Kurt's shoulders. Kurt blushed and assured that he was alright.

"I wasn't watching where I was going," he said sheepishly. Blaine chuckled and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, resisting the urge to brush his hand across Kurt's forehead to move the hair that had fallen into his face.

"It's alright," he said, shrugging. "It happens when you walk around bare foot in wet grass." Kurt laughed and nodded, looking down at his feet, which were now covered in grass and mud. Blaine smiled and then looked up to the sky, noting how dark it was becoming.

"Would you like to come in for a minute?" he asked, pointing to his tent with his thumbs. "Just to kind of orient yourself after that fight with gravity?" Kurt seemed to think it over for a moment before shaking his head, smiling apologetically.

"I'd really like to, but I should get some rest," he said, trying to ignore the way Blaine's eyes briefly lost their playful glint. "Mike wants me back on the silks at seven thirty in the morning, so I'd really like to get some rest." He gave Blaine another apologetic look, hoping he hadn't offended him.

"It's okay," Blaine said, laughter bubbling from his throat. He patted Kurt on the shoulder. "Hope you get some sleep. Try not to slip on any more grass on the way, okay?" Kurt smiled and nodded, bidding Blaine goodnight. He watched as Blaine walked back into his tent, noticing as, one by one, lights illuminated from inside. Kurt stepped carefully as he made his way over to his own tent stationed a ways from Blaine's.

As he stepped inside he fumbled around to find his lamp, finally feeling the cool glass underneath his hand. He felt around for his lighter, lighting the oil lamp. He lowered the flame before stripping off his sweat-soaked and now grass covered clothes. He knew he should wash out his hair, but he was so tired. He opted for a dry-shampoo, applying it generously to his hair before rubbing it with a towel. He quickly dressed himself in a pair of plaid sleep pants and a shirt. He flopped himself on his cot and burrowed himself under a mountain of blankets. He lay in silence, listening for Blaine's guitar. But the night was silent save for insects. He sighed, extinguishing the flame in his lamp before rolling over, closing his eyes to sleep.

Across from Kurt's tent, Blaine placed his guitar in its case, gingerly closing the lid. He sat down on his cot, sliding his fingers into his hair. His shoulders rose as he took a deep breath. He exhaled slowly, his warm breath ghosting over his lips. He felt stupid for asking Kurt to come into his tent, but he knew Kurt was genuine when he said he needed to rest. Blaine could only imagine how tiring it was practicing aerial stunts all day. He hoped all of Kurt's hard work would pay off when the Cirque opened its arms in two days time.

Knowing that he'd be put to work tomorrow, Blaine extinguished the lights in his tent and lay down on his cot, placing his hands behind his head. Soon his breathing slowed, chest rising and falling slowly. He moaned softly in his sleep, a soft smile gracing his lips.

In Kurt's tent, Kurt tossed restlessly, mind plaguing him with thoughts of everything that could go wrong during his performance. He finally fell into a fitful sleep, comforted only by the thought of Blaine's soft lullaby.


	6. Chapter 6

He couldn't do this. He  _couldn't_  do this.  _He. Couldn't. Do. This._  Kurt tried to control his increasingly erratic breathing as he stood in the back of the big top tent. He'd been fine earlier that day, accompanying Mercedes on a stroll around the circus as people began to file in, watching in amazement and amusement as others put on impromptu performances.

Puck had enthusiastically brandished his deadly weapons as teenage girls giggled, ogling his bare chest. Quinn had twirled a baton alight with fire in front of a group of eight year olds, their eyes sparking with wonder as she had tossed it into the air, only to catch it effortlessly in the palm of her hand. Mike had even invited Kurt to do a few tricks with him, to which Kurt hesitantly agreed. They both had cart-wheeled and flipped through the circus-goers, earning them a rousing round of applause. Kurt had been high off of adrenaline then, grinning like a five year old on laughing gas. But that was then and this was now, five minutes before show time and

He

Couldn't

Do

This.

He went to brush under his eye, only to jerk his and away in fear of ruining his appearance. Quinn had helped him with his make-up, applying glitter on his cheeks and eyelids. He could feel the glitter weigh them down and stray glitter on his eyelashes caught the light and dazzled in front of his eyes. He felt constricted in his skin tight costume. It was an aquamarine blue and silver, binding him from his ankles all the way up to the top his neck. His arms were bare, though he had a blue ribbon winding down his left arm, tied at the end around his wrist. Mike was dressed in a similar fashion, but he wore only blue and silver pants, the top half of his body bare with silver ribbon criss-crossing over his shoulder blades and chest. Brittany and Santana wore the same, skin tight silver costumes, the material hugging their curves in the most sinful of ways. Their faces were adorned with blue jewels of different shades, glittering like fish scales did in the sunlight. Blue ribbons wound around their legs, waist, and chest.

Kurt sighed and sat down in a fold out chair that was near the entrance into the ring. He could hear the excited chatter of the audience. It sounded like a lot of people. Kurt wanted to throw up.

"Hey, are you okay?" He heard the concerned voice of Mercedes behind him. He opened his mouth to speak, only to discover that his vocal chords had abandoned him. Mercedes laughed and squatted down in front of him. She was in her "tiger tamer" outfit, all decked out in purple, silver, and gold. She had a purple glittering top hat perched on her head, with a long, gold feather adorning it. Her face mirrored others in that it was covered in glitter and facial jewels. Kurt had to admit, she looked fabulous.

"You're gonna be fine," she assured him, giving him one of her famous Mercedes hugs. He hugged her back, grateful for his newfound friend. She pulled back and flashed him a smile, winking her glittery purple eye. Kurt laughed and flicked a curl out of her face.

 

Meanwhile, Blaine was sitting in the band pit, playing with the synthesizer. The keyboardist conveniently enough sprained her wrist the night before, so Blaine had to fill in for her. It was like a dream come true; he'd be able to watch the acts without peering through a crack through a tent flap. He was especially excited about seeing Kurt perform.

He leaned back in his seat, eyes scanning the crowd. They were full tonight. Every seat was filled with child, parent, or curious patron. The air was filled with excited chatter, almost deafening in its volume. He glanced at his watch- three minutes until show time. For some reason, he felt nervous. His heart pounded in his chest, his palms were sweaty, but it wasn't like he had anything to be nervous about. He finally decided that he was nervous for Kurt, who no doubt was a nervous wreck backstage. Blaine wished he could tell Kurt good luck before the show, but now it was veering to less than two minutes until show time and he couldn't afford chancing that he could be there and back to his post in time. Each second felt like minutes. Blaine sighed and flipped through his music, marking measures with a pencil.

 

Kurt stood in the line up behind his fellow aerialists. They were all lined up in order of performance: Tina was to perform with Mike on the trapeze first, then followed by Sam and Rachel doing…something, Puck and Quinn with their amazing blades of fire, Mercedes and her white tigers, Artie with Rachel (again) and their dynamic magical act, Finn and his gang of idiotic clowns, then finally Mike, Santana, Brittany, and Kurt on the silks before the cast came out again for their bows. Currently they were all lined up to proceed out together, allowing the crowd to see their performers before they performed, kind of like an introduction. Tina turned and gave them all a thumbs up, signaling that it was time to go. Kurt gulped and put on his best smile before following his fellow performers out into the ring.

Everyone was immediately slammed with the sounds of sonorous cheers and lilting music coming from the band. Tina waved enthusiastically to the audience, holding Mike's hand as they both smiled to the crowed. Puck was brandishing his swords, Quinn her batons- not yet lit. Santana strutted in her skin tight costume, showing all the men in the crowd exactly just what she had to offer.

Kurt waved awkwardly, unsure of what to do. His only thoughts were ' _just smile and wave- you'll impress them later_ '. He sure did hope that would be true.

The performers circled around the ring, greeting and waving to the crowd. Will was standing on a pedestal in the middle, making wild gestures and laughing as he waved his top hat. The enthusiasm in the big top was high. Everyone seemed to be bouncing out of their seats. Kurt could feel his face go hot. His cheeks felt numb, he was smiling so big.

Just as he rounded the side of the ring he spotted Blaine in the band, playing the keyboard with one hand and waving to him with the other. Kurt laughed and waved back. Blaine gave him a thumbs up and mouthed ' _break a leg_!' Kurt nodded and waved again before following the other performers back through the tent flap and into the back, where it was an immediate rush of gathering props and checking make-up one last time before the wait to perform.

Kurt sat back down in the chair he had previously occupied, watching as Tina walked around Mike to check for any wardrobe malfunctions. He could hear Will's booming voice echoing through the tent on the other side.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he cried. "Boys and girls! I welcome you to the Cirque de Joie! The most wondrous and thrilling circus your eyes will ever feast upon!" The crowd cheered and Will smiled, straightening his scarlet jacket with gold trim. He waited as the crowd quieted before continuing.

"Prepare to experience our first act! Our dynamic trapeze duo of Tumbling Tina and Magnificent Mike!" The crowed exploded in applause, whooping and hollering for the trapeze artists to come forth and show their skill. Mike gave Tina a quick peck on the lips before they both went bounding out to the ring. The circus had begun.

Kurt stood up and walked over to a mat and began to stretch, feeling as each muscle warmed and became more relaxed. He rotated his head and earned a few cracks in his neck, sighing as his neck and shoulders were flooded with warmth. He watched the hustle and bustle of the other acts, wishing that time would go faster. Kurt wondered if anyone had ever died of stage fright. He hoped to not be the first.

 

Blaine grinned as he watched his friends perform, only halfway paying attention to his music. He hadn't gotten to watch them like this in a long time. With only a little bite of resentment, he watched as Tina and Mike wowed the crowd with their death defying stunts, swinging back and forth high over their heads. He cheered when Sam came out, Rachel on his shoulders, as they juggled what appeared to be a variety of fruit. Interesting. Never minding that, he prayed as Puck in Quinn came out with their fire, hoping that nothing would go horribly, horribly wrong. He watched in awe as Mercedes 'tamed' her white tigers, expertly leading them around the ring for all to see. He ogled at Artie's amazing act of making Rachel disappear and reappear high above in a steel ball, sliding gracefully down a silk and bowing to the confused and amazed crowed. He laughed in amusement as Finn and his merry band of clowns performed their quirky yet endearing act. And then it was the aerialists turn. Blaine's knee bounced up and down impatiently as Will announced the final act.

"Now, for the final act of the night, I give you our mesmerizing and dazzling aerialists! Now please folks I remind you to take no pictures during this act, as the flash may impair the vision of our aerialists and we don't want anyone riding in an ambulance tonight!" The crowd laughed and waited impatiently. Will's lips turned up into a smile before sweeping his arm towards the back of the tent, white-gloved hand pointing to where Mike, Brittany, Santana, and Kurt were hidden in the back.

"I give you Mike, Brittany, Santana, and Kurt! The awe-inspiring aerialists of the Cirque de Joie!" The crowd cheered as the four came leaping out, Santana and Brittany taking their positions under the two pairs of deep blue silks that dangled from the ceiling. Kurt and Mike stood of a ways away on either side, still as statues. The crowd quieted and Will leaped off of his pedestal, gesturing towards the band. The conductor tapped his baton on his stand and gave the musicians a stern look. Blaine flipped his page and looked at his music: Bolero, from Moulin Rouge. He heard the piano begin to play, a soft, almost melancholic melody. The girls clad in silver began to make the ascent up their silks.

They gracefully moved their arms, sweeping to the audience before twirling around the silks, wrapping the fabric around their bodies. They slid into splits as the synthesizer came in, Blaine dividing his attention to them and his music. He eyed Kurt, who hadn't moved from his position yet. All of a sudden the sound of the drums came into play, and Mike and Kurt strutted their way towards the center of the ring. They followed the girls up the silks and wrapped their arms around the girls' bodies. Kurt moved with a fierce intensity in his eyes and he and Brittany swung their silks around the ring, gaining momentum until they had four people swooping over the crowd. The crowd gasped in amazement.

Blaine watched in awe as they began to slow down and Mike and Kurt moved in synchronization. They danced around Santana and Brittany, who were equally as lithe on the silks. As the tempo of the music began to pick up, so did their movements. At one point they had grounded themselves, using the silks as props as they danced around each other. The girls would act as though they were hiding from their 'lovers' behind the fabric, only to have the boys rip the silks from their hands. Kurt and Mike ascended the silks as a violin began to play, performing crazy stunts such as hanging upside down by their thighs and at one point grabbing each other's forearms as they spun around in circles. The girls grabbed the silks, halting the boys' performance. They pulled themselves up swiftly up the silks, taking positions under the boys. Santana and Brittany climbed onto Mike and Kurt, entangling their bodies until they looked like embracing lovers, only to push each other away and swing before grabbing each other and balancing back to back, moving their bodies to be parallel with the ground.

The crowd cheered every time the amazing aerialists paused in a pose, mouths open wide at the strength and grace displayed by the teens. Blaine almost forgot to play as he watched Kurt in astonishment, shivers shooting up his spine and down his arms as he observed the boys body movements, almost to the point of suggestive as he moved with Brittany, who ran her hand up the boy's chest.

The couples began to wrap themselves in fabric as the music began to reach his climax, embracing each other as they released their hold on the silks fell to the ground as the violin played almost erratically, performing the same stunt that almost gave Blaine a heart attack when he saw Kurt perform it for Will. They unwrapped their arms around each other and stood up, the boys circling the girls until Brittany and Santana were back to back, nowhere to go. The boys threw their arms around their partners, the music coming to a soft close. The lights blackened the moment Kurt and Mike threw their arms over Brittany and Santana, bathing the entire audience in darkness. The crowd sat mesmerized, unsure of what to do.

As the lights began to come back on, the aerialists smiled to one another. Kurt's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. On his face was an enormous smile, stretching from ear to ear. The blood rushed in his head, his heart pounded against his ribcage. He felt _amazing_.

The crowd erupted in screams and cheers. Brittany grabbed Kurt's hand and smiled at him, gesturing for him to bow. He laughed and bent forward, mirroring the motions of his fellow aerialists. The crowd stood up from their seats, whooping and hollering over the amazing performance. Will ran back up to his position on the pedestal grabbing his microphone.

"Let's have another round of applause for all of our performers!" he yelled as the other circus members filed into the ring, blowing kisses, waving to the crowd, and bowing gracefully. Mercedes ran up to Kurt and threw her arms around his neck, planting a big kiss on his cheek. Kurt gave her a tight hug, muttering a " _thank you"_  in her ear as she exclaimed how amazing and wonderful he was tonight. He chuckled and unwrapped his arms around her, eyes diverting over towards the band. His eyes searched until he found Blaine, standing up and clapping with a grin so wide it rivaled that of the Cheshire cat himself. He grinned back at Blaine and held his thumb up. Blaine mimicked him and whooped, winking his hazel eye at the brunette. Kurt winked back and waved to the crowd, wondering how he ever could have gotten this lucky.

Yes, this would be just fine.


	7. Chapter 7

A sigh was the only sound that penetrated the smothering silence in the small tent. The light of a late morning sun illuminated the rust-colored fabric, the shadows of trees from the outside imprinting themselves against its surface. A bird or two chirped before the sound of rustling wings could be heard. Then the sound of a deep breath.

Blaine slowly opened his eyes, pupils adjusting to the light. He willed himself to get up, having half a mind to just lay in his cot all day. But there was work to be done, as always, so with a final sigh of defeat, Blaine sat up in his bed. He stretched and popped his neck before getting up and getting himself ready. He fumbled around for his shoes, once putting one on the wrong foot and twice having to remind himself how to tie his laces. Oh, it was going to be one of  _those_  days.

It'd been four days since Kurt's first performance and Blaine hasn't been able to speak to him since. After Will saw the tremendous response the young aerialist had gotten from the crowd he'd been pushing Kurt to perfect his routine.

"I saw those slip ups, don't even try to act dumb about it!" Will had said with a laugh after the show was over. "You'll have to perfect this routine before tomorrow night!" Kurt had forced a smile and glanced to Blaine from across the ring, who just grimaced and shrugged, not able to help. After that, Blaine had only seen Kurt during the show and fleetingly when the exhausted boy trudged off to his tent afterwards.

After Blaine was sure he hadn't forgotten any article of clothing, he stepped outside of his tent into the bright summer day. His skin tingled as it warmed under the glow of the sun. He cast his eyes upwards to the sky. It was absolutely beautiful, blue as a robin's egg and free of fluffy white clouds. It was wonderful.

Blaine set out towards the circus, hoping that Kurt was located somewhere behind its alluring and colorful exterior. Last night had been the final performance for this area- they'd usually have stayed longer but their next stop was a huge money maker and Will wanted to get there a.s.a.p. before the summer was over. Tomorrow would be a day of relaxation before setting off once more. They were nomads, and as such they must pick up their homes and move once again. As Blaine passed a few unoccupied tents, he hoped that Kurt wasn't still sleeping in his tent. The thought hadn't occurred to him until now. All he wanted to do was  _speak_  to the boy.

Blaine groaned and ran his fingers through his curls, pulling on the tresses. Oh, well, might as well get some breakfast.

And with that thought Blaine set of towards the orange food tent. He could already smell the aroma of ham wafting through the air and tantalizing his senses. He inhaled deeply and licked his lips before stepping inside the large tent.

As Blaine entered the tent he spied many workers and cast members that gathered at various fold-out tables, conversing and eating breakfast. Blaine waved to a few people, noticing that Mercedes and Quinn were sitting at a table near the far right of the tent. He tried to get their attention by waving his hands. He saw Quinn's eyes flicker before adverting here attention to his waving hands. Mercedes halted what seemed to be an enthusiastic retelling of some event and looked over, a grin spreading across her face. The two girls motioned for Blaine to some sit with them. Blaine laughed and held a finger up before making his way over to the table that was covered with eggs, bacon, ham, pastries, toast, fruit, juice, and bless him, coffee.

Blaine hurriedly grabbed a paper plate and piled it high with eggs, bacon and a doughnut. He filled a cup full of hot, steaming coffee and made his way over to Mercedes and Quinn. As he sat down by Quinn, Mercedes opened her mouth to speak.

"So," she said, locking her deep chocolate eyes with Blaine's hazel ones, "Have you spoken to Kurt lately?" Quinn eyed him curiously as he processed Mercedes's question through his still too sluggish mind and shook his head.

"No, he's been so busy that I haven't been able to get a word in," he said, taking a bite of his doughnut. He swallowed before setting the pastry down and licking the glaze off of his fingers. "Have you talked to him?" Mercedes laughed.

"Yeah, we're really getting to know each other," she said. "He's a cool guy. He's almost as much of a diva as me!" Quinn laughed and Blaine feigned surprise, his hand flying to his forehead.

"You don't say!" he exclaimed in mock astonishment. Mercedes rolled her eyes, the smallest of smiles tugging at her lips. Blaine laughed and began to work on his breakfast. He relished the smell of his coffee as he brought it to his lips, sipping at it slowly, savoring the flavor. He could feel the caffeine going to work in his body, that familiar buzz in his veins, causing him to wake up more and more as he chatted about Quinn's annoyance of Rachel and Mercedes's new ideas for her tiger act.

"Sasha and Nadua need something new," she said, pointing her fork at Blaine. "I think they're getting bored." Blaine raised an eyebrow and listened to Mercedes's new plan for her act. Quinn only half-listened, playing with a perfectly curled strand of hair in disinterest. As Mercedes finished, Blaine nodded in approval of her plan and gulped down the rest of his coffee. Quinn politely excused herself and strutted away from the table, empty plate in hand. Mercedes waved and then looked at Blaine with a peculiar expression.

"I know that look," Blaine said, mouth turning up into a smile. "What are you up to Mercedes?" Mercedes laughed.

"Nothin' bad. It's just, you know how we all have the day off tomorrow?" Blaine nodded, wondering where this was going. Mercedes continued. "Well, I was thinking that you, Kurt, and me could go into town and hang out instead of staying around here. It'd be good for Kurt, ya know?" Blaine's face lit up at the idea. This did not go unnoticed by Mercedes, whose mouth twisted into a sly smile.

"So, you interested, white boy?" she asked. Blaine chuckled and nodded.

"That's a great idea!" he said as he stacked his utensils onto his now empty plate. "It'd be a great opportunity to get to know Kurt. He seems like a cool guy." Mercedes arched an eyebrow and followed Blaine's movements, stacking her utensils and napkins of top of her empty plate. Blaine stood up and held his hand out, offering to take Mercedes's plate for her.

"You're so sweet," she said, handing it to him. He stacked on top of his own plate.

"I know," he said without modesty. Mercedes laughed and bade him farewell, telling him not to forget about the plan for tomorrow. He promised he wouldn't, and headed towards a trash can, dumping the paper plates. As he started out the tent, he collided with something taller than him. The taller being stumbled and fell backwards, hitting the ground with a soft 'thud'. Blaine, momentarily dazed, looked down to find Kurt looking up at him with a mixture of surprise and mild annoyance. Blaine immediately thrust his hand out for Kurt to take.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," he said as Kurt took his hand. As soon as Kurt was vertical once more he checked over his outfit, making sure there weren't any grass stains on the seat of his jeans or his impressively spotless white shirt.

"Guess I subconsciously like you helping me up," Kurt said with a laugh. "Thanks." Blaine flashed a smile and shrugged.

"No biggie. You want to sit down and get some breakfast?" Kurt lit up to the idea of food.

"I thought you'd never ask," he said with a smile, immediately making his way over to the breakfast table. Blaine grabbed another cup and filled it with coffee as he waited for Kurt. After Kurt finished piling fruit onto his paper plate, Blaine led him to the table that he, Quinn, and Mercedes had occupied mere minutes ago. Kurt began to eat his food without hesitation, neatly picking up a grape and popping it into his mouth. Blaine sipped his coffee as an awkward silence ensued.

"So," Blaine said, after a while. "I haven't been able to congratulate you on how awesome you've been doing in the show. You're really amazing, Kurt!" Kurt looked up from the orange slice he'd been sucking on as a smile widened across his face.

"Thanks," he said, wiping his hands with a moist towelette he seemed to have produced out of thin air. "That means a lot, really." Kurt had a look of pure sincerity in his eyes. Blaine smiled and took another sip of coffee, concentrating on how its heat radiated through the cup and into his fingers that were wrapped around it.

"So I was thinking," Blaine said after another moment. "Since we're all off tomorrow, I was wondering if you'd like to join Mercedes and I. We're going to go into town and act like normal teenagers for once. Are you interested?" Kurt seemed to think it over for a moment before breaking out into a smile.

"Sure, that'd be great!" he said, laying the towelette onto his plate. "It'll be nice to take a break. When tomorrow?" Blaine furrowed his brow. He and Mercedes hadn't really discussed a time- or anything come to think of it. Blaine sighed.

"We haven't really picked a time yet, but I'll let you know when we figure it out." Kurt nodded and stood up from his seat.

"Well, you know where to find me," Kurt said, smiling down at Blaine. Blaine looked into Kurt's blue-green eyes and grinned. Kurt waved and walked away. Blaine watched Kurt walk away, admiring the lithe, almost silent way he moved. Blaine wished he moved in such an alluring way.

_Alluring?_

Blaine sighed. He seemed to be doing a lot of that today, but this time it was for a completely different reason.


	8. Chapter 8

Mercedes observed Blaine as they patiently sat in a pair of metal folding chairs outside one of the many circus tents, waiting on Kurt to arrive at their established meeting point. Well, Mercedes waited patiently. Blaine's left knee was bouncing rapidly up and down and his arms were crossed, pressed firmly against his chest. Mercedes honestly didn't know why Blaine was in such a rush.

She began to play with one of her sparkling gold earrings, silently congratulating herself on assembling such a boss outfit. Purple was the primary color- her shoes were purple, her pants were purple, even her headband was purple. Over a purple tank top she had a loose-fitting white shirt that hung off one shoulder. Gold chains dangled from her neck and her ears were donned with gold hoops. She looked quite diva-licious if she had to say so herself. She averted her eyes to Blaine and analyzed his choice of wardrobe for the day.

He wore a simple pair of dark-wash jeans, tight fitting, and a mustard yellow graphic tee that donned the Beatles on the front. On his feet was a pair of worn red converse. He was obviously dressed for comfort today. But he did do his hair. Instead of the normal messy mane of black curls he had gelled them back out of his face. Mercedes thought he looked quite dashing with his hair like that, but he seldom had the time or the reason to do anything with his unruly mop of raven curls.

Blaine continued to bounce his knee. He wasn't quite sure why he was so impatient today. It's not like they had a real plan to stick to. Maybe he was just eager to get out of the Cirque for a few hours and feel like a normal teenager. He looked down at the watch on his wrist. It was 10:28. Mercedes, Kurt and him had decided to meet at 10:30 and drive into town together. Blaine would be the one driving since he knew exactly how to get into town- having to go and hang up fliers a few days prior to the circus opening.

10:29. Blaine bit his lip in anticipation. He hoped that Kurt wasn't one of those "fashionably late" people. Yes, he  _was_ fashionable, but to be late was to be sloppy. And that was very unattractive.

As if he had heard Blaine's thought, Blaine looked up to see Kurt walking towards the duo. The first thing was the bright electric blue leather jacket he wore, tight around his torso. The second thing he noticed were the electric blue converse that stretched all the way up to Kurt's knees to match.

"Whoa," he said, entranced by how high the shoes went up Kurt's legs. Kurt gave an inquisitive look before looking down, as if noticing his shoes for the first time.

"Heh, yeah," he said, rotating his right leg to give Blaine a better look. Mercedes was also ogling at the beasts, staring at the crossing laces, which were a lovely shade of dark purple. "They actually zip up in the back. Imagine trying to lace them!" He gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah," Blaine said, almost distantly.

"Well," Mercedes said, breaking Blaine out of his knee-high converse induced trance. "We better get going. Blaine?" She cleared her throat. Blaine snapped his head up and looked at Mercedes, grinning sheepishly.

"Uh, right," he said, slapping his hands on his knees. "We're taking the truck so uh, just follow me." And with that he stood up and began to walk in the direction of the vehicles. Kurt looked to Mercedes with an arched eyebrow. Mercedes just shook her head and laughed, trailing behind Blaine. Kurt paused and looked down to his shoes again, from the zipper in the back to the laces, before shrugging and setting off to join his two friends.

 

 

"So, what's on the agenda?" Blaine asked as they whizzed down the road. Maroon 5 could be heard in the background as he, Mercedes, and Kurt rode in the much too small red truck. Kurt was in the middle, hands clasped in his lap as he stared silently ahead of him. Mercedes was absently staring out the window, twirling a lock of hair in her fingers.

"How about lunch?" Mercedes said as she leaned over Kurt to switch the station. The song immediately switched from "Misery" to "Forget You" by Cee Lo Green. Kurt bobbed his head to the beat. "I know it's early but I'm starving!" Blaine nodded in agreement.

"Me too," he said, starting to think of all the restaurants he had seen while in town. There was this nice little diner he'd stopped in to ask the owner if he could put up an advertisement for the Cirque in his window. The old man was more than happy to comply. "I know this great little diner. Are you up for brunch Kurt?" Kurt seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding his head.

"Sure, I could go for coffee anyway," he said, moving to change the radio station once again. He went through a few stations: pop, country, gospel, talk radio, before setting it on a song that made Blaine suppress a laugh of amusement.

"Really?" he asked, listening to the belting voice of Barbara Streisand drift from the speakers. Kurt furrowed his brow.

"What?" he asked defensively. "How can you not appreciate the superb vocals of Barbara?" Mercedes laughed as Blaine's eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

"It's not that!" he said, glancing from the road to Kurt. "I was just surprised by the song selection is all. Not many people I know would switch from pop to Broadway." Kurt crossed his arms.

"Well welcome to my world, Anderson," he said, staring straight ahead. Blaine chuckled and turned the radio up, Barbara now filling the three teens' ears with a haunting melody. Kurt wore a look of satisfaction. Blaine periodically glanced at the other boy's reflection in the rearview mirror, making sure he hadn't offended the boy and admiring the way Kurt's eyes sparkled when he got his way.

As they pulled into town, Blaine was shocked to see just how crowded the place was. Apparently he'd missed the memo that they were having some sort of festival this weekend. The entire stretch of road between the main part of town was blocked off and covered in various booths displaying crafts and beautiful artworks. Blaine pulled into a nearby church parking lot, unbuckling his seatbelt after pulling the key from the ignition.

"What's going on here?" Mercedes asked as she slid out of her seat. Kurt followed her lead, straightening his jacket after jumping out of the truck. Blaine made sure to lock the door before they set off down the street, weaving through patrons of all ages.

"It must be some sort of festival," Blaine speculated, the smell of funnel cake and hot dogs clouding his senses. "What a lucky day to visit!"

"I agree," Kurt said, eyeing a rack of multicolored scarves. "Perhaps we'll leave with a few souvenirs."

"But before that," Blaine said, holding up a finger. "We get food." Kurt and Mercedes nodded and gestured for Blaine to lead the way. Blaine held a hand out for each of them. Mercedes interlocked her fingers with his. Kurt stared at Blaine's other hand apprehensively.

"It's so we won't get lost," Blaine assured him. The taller boy sighed and placed his pale hand in Blaine's, feeling the rough, calloused fingers rub against his soft skin. Blaine tightened his hold on both if his companions hands before leading towards what he hoped was the direction of the small diner.

They passed many a person: giddy children, gluttons with a variety of condiments smeared across their faces and clothes, cranky teens who didn't want to be there, and people of all ages with outlandish hats made of balloons positioned atop their heads. The three were accustomed to sites such as these of course, they graced their vision all the time back at the Cirque. But they were here to get away from the circus, not to be reminded of it. Blaine's eyes scanned each shop they passed, looking for the familiar door that read "The Mountaineer Diner" in old fashioned scrawl across the glass doors.

Kurt looked around, surveying all of the little booths donned in bright colors of green, pink, orange, and yellow. He saw everything from pottery and jewelry to photography and toys. It seemed that the citizens of this town occupied the booths to sell their trades. He looked to Mercedes. She seemed to be having a great time looking at all the little knick-knacks displayed in the shop windows and laughing at the little girls and boys who peered inside them, noses pressed hard against the window panes.

"Aha!" Blaine exclaimed when he found the diner. Kurt jumped at the sudden noise. "Here we are!" He let go of Kurt's and Mercedes hands and opened the door. Kurt sighed at the loss of warmth that radiated from Blaine's palm, not even noticing the heat until it was gone. He trailed in behind Mercedes and thanked Blaine for holding the door for them.

The diner was very charming, set up almost like an old soda fountain with black and white checkered floors and red vinyl seats in front of a counter and at booths stationed by the large glass windows. Mercedes claimed the booth closest to them, sliding in and immediately grabbing a menu. Kurt slid in beside her, leaving Blaine to sit across from them. Blaine grabbed two other menus and handed one to Kurt.

"Thanks," Kurt said, immediately flipping to the beverages. He eyed a few yummy sounding coffee concoctions, finally deciding that he didn't really want coffee anymore. He averted his attention to the milkshakes and smoothies, settling on a lovely sounding mixture of raspberry and chocolate swirl.

"What are you feelin' like Blaine?" Mercedes asked without looking away from her menu. She herself was eyeing french toast smothered in strawberries and powdered sugar- the breakfast of champions.

"Hmm," he mused. "I think I'm going to order some fries and a chocolate shake. What about you Kurt?"

"I think I'll be enjoying a raspberry chocolate swirl milkshake today," Kurt said, gesturing towards a picture of the tantalizing beverage in the menu. It made Blaine's mouth water.

"Maybe I'll get one of those too," Blaine said. "Yum." Kurt laughed as a waitress approached the table. She was thin and blonde, her gold curls framing her brilliant green eyes that were lined in dark eyeliner. Her waitress dress uniform was powder blue, contrasting with her cherry red lips. She looked like a pin up girl straight out of the 50's.

"Good morning! My name is Carly," she said cheerily. "What can I get for you all today?" Mercedes moved to speak first.

"I think I'd like the strawberry french toast," she said politely. "and a glass of milk please." Carly quickly scrawled Mercedes's order on her note pad and looked to Blaine.

"And you dear?" she asked, eyeing Blaine up and down. Kurt squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable with the way their waitress was undressing Blaine with her eyes. Had she no decency? But Blaine seemed to be unfazed by it.

"Yes, I'd like two large raspberry swirl milkshakes, one for my friend here," he gestured to Kurt, who opened his mouth in protest. "and an order of french fries please." Carly wrote down the order on her pad before assuring them that their order would be ready soon before winking at Blaine and strutting away, the movement in her hips exaggerated in a way no decent woman would do in public.

"What'd you do that for?" Kurt asked as soon as the hooker-waitress was gone. Blaine looked at him with innocent hazel eyes.

"Do what?" he asked. Kurt sighed.

"I can pay for my own food you know," he said, holding up his wallet. "I'm not a charity case. I do have money." Blaine laughed.

"I just wanted to be nice," he said, lowering Kurt's hand holding the wallet with his own. "Besides, think of it as a welcome to the Cirque." Kurt threw his head back in defeat, shoving his wallet back into his pocket.

"Whatever," he said, crossing his arms in a "bitch,  _please_ " fashion.

"Get used to Blaine treating you to food," Mercedes said. "When I came to the Cirque, he wouldn't stop buying me cotton candy. It's his way of showing affection." Kurt rolled his eyes as Blaine nodded.

"It's true," Blaine said with a grin, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well next time you feel the urge to buy me something," Kurt started, "Make it a scarf or other accessory. I don't want to get fat." Mercedes and Blaine chuckled. "Now, if you'll excuse me-"

Kurt rose from his seat with the intention of heading towards the restrooms. As he walked away he could hear Mercedes and Blaine fall into comfortable conversation. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the two large boys in red letterman jackets follow him into the men's restroom.

"Lookie what we've got here Steven," said one of the boys as soon as the door shut behind them with a ' _click_ '. Kurt froze, every muscle seizing in his body. The boy was tall and broad, with brown hair and cruel eyes. His heart immediately began to beat hard and fast against his chest. Kurt could feel his throat begin to close up in panic. He turned around to face his agressors. "It's a fairy!" The other boy, Steven, laughed. He was thick and stupid-looking, with short blond hair above thick, hulking eyebrows.

"Why are you wearing those  _gay_  clothes?" Steven asked, approaching Kurt. "You some sort of fag?" He shoved Kurt's shoulder with his hand. Kurt gritted his teeth as he stepped farther back. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears and creeping into his cheeks, staining them bright red with rage.

"So what if I am?" he asked, glaring with sharp eyes. "What are you going to do about it?" Steven and the other boy looked at each other. The other boy laughed and balled his hand into a fist.

"We don't like fags," he said, shoving his fist in Kurt's face, inches away from the tip of his nose. Kurt swallowed but didn't flinch. "and we'll teach you exactly what we do about them." Steven came to the boy's other side, effectively trapping Kurt like an animal against the bathroom wall. Kurt balled his fists to his sides.

"I'm so scared," he said sarcastically. "What can two brainless neanderthals do to me anyway, punch me? That won't turn me straight, just like you sitting in a classroom probably won't make you smart!" Steven growled.

"Why you-" he started. He lunged at Kurt, who sidestepped just in time. Steven collided with the mirror that was hung on the wall, almost causing it to fall from its place. The other boy tried to grab Kurt's arm, but the smaller boy was too fast and dodged the boy's hand. Kurt knocked over a vase as he tried to move around the two boys. It crashed, loud and echoing in the small bathroom. He felt one of the neanderthals grab at his collar, only to lose hold. He ripped the heavy door open and sprinted out into the restaurant. No one could see him, on account of the restrooms being in a hallway near the back of the diner. He looked around desperately for a place to hide, eyes falling on a janitor's closet to his right that was halfway opened. Kurt stepped inside and closed the door, trying to slow his uneasy breathing. Suddenly he heard the bathroom door open. He held his breath.

"Where is that little faggot?" he heard the enraged voice of Stephen say. The other boy sighed.

"Whatever man, let's get outta here," he said. He heard their heavy footsteps fade away. Kurt slowly opened the door and scanned the area. It was free of the Twin Terrors. He slipped back into the bathroom, his hands shaky as he opened the door of the last stall. He sat down on the toilet and placed his head in his hands, letting out a shaky breath.

"I thought I could avoid this," he said to himself, trying to find the courage to walk back out to Blaine and Mercedes, who were no doubt wondering where he was. He blinked back the tears that started to burn behind his eyelids.

" _Damn_."


	9. Chapter 9

 

 

Blaine's brow was furrowed with distress. What was taking Kurt so long? He hoped everything was alright. He took another slurp of his raspberry chocolate swirl, savoring the sweet and bitter flavors as they tingled tantalizingly on his taste buds. Mercedes seemed to be thinking the same thing as Blaine. She rapped her nails impatiently on the table as she took a sip of her milk, having already consumed her French toast, which had been delicious.

"What'd he do, fall in?" she asked, licking her lips free of a milk moustache. Blaine snorted and waved his hand. Just then he looked up to see two hulking boys in letter jackets stomp their way out of diner from the direction of the bathroom. Blaine felt a tinge of worry. He shoved a french fry in his mouth before standing up.

"I'll be right back 'Cedes," he said. She nodded, understanding that he was going to check on Kurt. She watched behind concerned eyes as Blaine walked towards the restrooms. Apprehension swirled unpleasantly in her stomach so she took another sip of ice cold milk, hoping to calm her increasing nervousness. She allowed her gaze to wander about the restaurant, hoping to find something or someone interesting to occupy her mind.

Meanwhile, Blaine approached the men's room. He gently opened the door, hoping it wouldn't squeak. Thankfully, it didn't. He carefully stepped inside the blue room, noticing that only one of the stalls was occupied. He gazed over to the adjacent wall, noticing that the mirror hanging on the wall was precariously dangling, ready to fall at any moment. As he took a step he heard something crunch under his foot. He peered down to see the remnants of a glass vase scattered all over the floor. Prismatic shards sparkled under the yellow light glowing from the ceiling. Fear rose in his throat.

Tentatively Blaine approached the only stall that seemed to be occupied. He reached out a fist and knocked on the door quietly.

"Kurt?" he asked. He heard a sniffle and the rustle of fabric. "You alright? Mercedes and I got worried about you."

"Yeah, just perfect," came the reply. It was a sharp retort, which made Blaine wonder what exactly went down in there.

"It doesn't sound perfect to me," Blaine said, leaning against the stall. "You want to talk about it?" He heard a soft sigh.

"Do I have a choice?" Kurt asked, rubbing his eyes. Blaine chuckled.

"Not really," Blaine said. "Now, open up!" There was a pause before the ' _click_ ' of a stall lock and the squeaky opening of the door. Blaine looked Kurt over. He seemed no worse for wear, but he seemed shaken, and his eyes wore red like he'd been…crying.

"Come on, over here," Blaine said, gesturing to a set of chairs stationed in a corner of the bathroom by the precariously hung mirror. As Kurt sat down, Blaine pulled out his phone and typed up a quick text message. As he hit "send", Kurt gave him an inquisitive look.

"A message to Mercedes telling her that we did not indeed find the entrance to Narnia in the men's bathroom and we'll be out in a few minutes," Blaine explained. Kurt gave a shaky laugh and placed his hands on his knees, which were shaking ever so slightly. Blaine swallowed, but felt glad he could at least make Kurt smile at the moment.

"So what happened here?" he asked, gesturing to the mirror and broken glass on the floor. Kurt exhaled, gesturing towards the door.

"Two neanderthals followed me in here and started harassing me. It seems that the "Rainbow Raiders" like to follow me everywhere." Blaine couldn't help but laugh at Kurt's term, but sobered as he realized what Kurt was saying.

"They were harassing you because you're gay?" he asked. He figured Kurt was gay, but he'd never asked, to be polite. Now he saw the pain in Kurt's blue-green eyes. He never felt so relatable to the boy as he did right now.

"Yeah," Kurt said. "I know I shouldn't let them get to me, but sometimes it just gets the better of me." Blaine placed his hand on Kurt's.

"You don't have to be so strong Kurt," he said. Kurt looked from his hand to Blaine's face, chest swelling with the feeling of comfort that radiated from Blaine's very being. "I know how it feels. I was a coward. I admire you for being so strong, but you shouldn't have to feel like it's a burden you have to bear."

"So you're-" Kurt started.

"Gay too?" Blaine finished for him. "Yeah, I am." The tension in Kurt's shoulders seemed to release from his body. Blaine gave Kurt's hand a squeeze.

"And I'm here for you, whenever you need me," he said, staring directly into Kurt's eyes. "Mercedes too. We're here for you whenever you need us. That's what friends are for, right?" Kurt seemed to be fighting with himself. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he did both. A single tear slid down his face as he laughed, grateful for his newfound friends and for someone that understood him better than anyone had before.

"Thanks," he said, looking at Blaine with those blue-green eyes that at the moment seemed like a sea after a storm. Blaine smiled at him, compassion swelling in his heart. He needed to help this boy.

"Anytime," he said, standing up. Kurt followed his lead. They paused for a moment, just looking at each other.

"Let's get back to that raspberry chocolate swirl shake," Blaine said, wrapping his arm around Kurt's shoulders. "Then, I'm buying you a scarf."

And so they went, stepping out the bathroom door in a much lighter mood than when they entered. After Blaine gave Mercedes a look that said "I'll explain later" and paying for their food, completely ignoring the sexually charged glances that Carly was giving him, the trio walked out the diner. Kurt silently slurped at his milkshake, which had been transferred into a to-go cup, as they perused the colorful booths down the street.

"Oo!" Mercedes exclaimed as they passed by a jewelry stand. Of course, they had to stop as she browsed the rack of sparkling dangle-earrings that shimmered like fish scales in the sunlight.

"I personally like the red and gold ones," Kurt voiced as he and Blaine stood to the side, watching the feverish girl with amusement. "They go well with your skin tone, and they're just plain sexy."

Mercedes held the aforementioned pair up, examining them with the scrutiny that only teenage girls possessed. After a few moments she seemed to agree with Kurt and pulled out a ten dollar bill from her purse.

"Are you happy with your purchase?" Blaine asked as they walked away from the booth. Mercedes had placed them in her ears as soon as she had received change from the nice lady who made the earrings, much to Kurt's protest of hygiene.

"Hell yeah," Mercedes said with a grin. "These earrings are all kinds of sexy!" Kurt smirked.

"What did I tell you?" he said, holding up his hands, now free of the most delicious raspberry chocolate swirl. "I have great taste."

"I'll say," Mercedes replied. "Where'd you snag those ass-kickin' converse anyway?"

"A great fashionista never reveals his secrets!' Kurt said, putting his finger to his lips. Blaine laughed and spied a booth that displayed scarves of every color and fabric.

"Speaking of fashionistas," he said, looking at Kurt. "I believe I owe you a scarf." Kurt blushed and furrowed his brow.

"You really don't have too."

"But I want to," Blaine said, walking over to the booth. He flashed a friendly smile to the young woman who was apparently watching the booth for her mother.

"So which one tickles your fancy?" Blaine asked, stroking a particularly soft looking scarf that was a rich purple and red color. Kurt snorted.

"Tickles my fancy?" he asked as he scrutinized a lovely chiffon scarf that was a light shade of lavender. "What are you, from the fifties of something?" Blaine rolled his eyes and moved onto a rather ugly orange and brown scarf that had strange little purple flowers on it. The pattern made him grimace. He looked over to Kurt.

"Are you adverse to my vocabulary?"

"No, I think it's quite dapper," Kurt said nonchalantly as he examined a scarf with a zebra pattern in it in hues of peach and turquoise. Blaine chuckled. Suddenly his eyes fell on a shiny silk scarf that was two toned- blue and green. Just like Kurt's eyes. It looked like water rippling in a stream. Each end of the scarf was lined with sparkly gold fabric.

"How about this one?" he asked, taking it off the rack. Kurt looked over his shoulder, eyes raking up and down the garment. A small smile graced his face.

"It's nice," he said, turning around and holding his hand out to take it. Blaine handed it to him and watched as Kurt rubbed his fingertips against the fabric, savoring the smooth surface. "I like it." Blaine took Kurt's response as approval and approached the girl sitting by a money box. He dipped his head low to her so Kurt wouldn't be able to hear how much the scarf cost, which was probably a considerable amount because of the fabric.

Meanwhile Kurt was still admiring the scarf. It was a lovely choice. Mercedes approached so she could look at it as well.

"It's pretty," she pointed out. "and kinda expensive looking." Kurt made an uncomfortable noise. He didn't even want to know how much Blaine was going to pay for this thing. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Blaine shove his wallet back into his pocket. Kurt gave a nervous smile. Blaine just smiled, looking from him to Mercedes.

"Ready to go?" he asked. Mercedes and Kurt nodded. As they left the booth, Kurt stared at the scarf him his hands, mildly confused as to why Blaine would buy it for him in the first place. Well, he supposed it was to make him feel better after the fiasco in the bathroom. In any case, he was grateful.

They continued to browse booths, periodically entranced by some knick-knack or other interesting object. By the time they had finished one row of booths Mercedes had bought two more pairs of earrings, a necklace, and a soft pretzel, Kurt had purchased a small strawberry smoothie, and Blaine had come away with a curious pair of hot pink sunglasses. They'd gotten halfway through the second row before Kurt spied the two ass hats who had assaulted him in the diner. Blaine stopped midway through a retelling of the "worst Cirque performance ever", sensing that he'd lost the attention of his new aerialist friend. Mercedes looked to Blaine, also noticing that something was amiss. Blaine looked over the crowd of people until his eyes landed on the two thugs. Anger bubbled in his stomach. He made a low sound in his throat, but continued on with his story as if nothing had happened.

"So then Artie lost the rabbit and it so happened that there was a woman in the audience that was severely allergic to rabbits…" The two boys came closer to them, not yet noticing Kurt. Kurt's hand flew to this new scarf, which was wrapped around his slender neck. He gripped it like a worry stone. This did not go unnoticed by Blaine or Mercedes.

Suddenly, as if in a horror movie, one of the boys looked up and saw Kurt. He gestured to the other one, who Kurt recognized to be Steven. They both glared at him as they approached. Kurt unconsciously moved closer to Blaine, whose mouth was clenched shut. Mercedes picked up the hateful vibe and glared right back at the neanderthals. As they got closer, Steven opened his mouth to speak.

"Nice scarf, homo," he said, looking Kurt up and down. Kurt shot him a hateful glare. As the boys passed, Mercedes turned around.

"Hey, you've got a bit of ugly all over your face!" she yelled with a sweeping motion. 'What'd ya momma do when you were young, beat you with an ugly stick? You so ugly, when you were born the doctor took one look at you and slapped your parents!" All around them peopled began to laugh. Steven looked back, astonished, before punching the other boy in the shoulder, who was laughing too. They both quickly walked away, egos wounded. Kurt and Blaine slapped Mercedes on the back, howling with laughter.

"That was awesome Mercedes!" Kurt exclaimed. Blaine was grinning from ear to ear. Mercedes laughed.

"I gotta look out for my boys!" she said, holding her fist out. Kurt pumped her fist with his. Blaine wrapped his arms around each of their shoulders.

"C'mon guys, let's get out of here."

As they walked away, Blaine observed Kurt out of the corner of his eye. He seemed to be happy, which made Blaine feel like a job well done. He looked over at Mercedes and winked. She winked right back, giving him a silent message that made him roll his eyes. They drove away in silence, only the fleeting sound of Broadway music serving at their soundtrack as they traveled back to the Cirque, back to home.

 


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey Kurt!" Mercedes yelled. "We're driving this one!" She laughed as she watched Kurt look around for his ride. His hair was slightly disheveled; brown strands highlighted with copper in the bright sun- the product of getting up too freakin' early in the morning without time to properly style his hair.

It was a beautiful day with a blue sky and bright sunshine, but it was getting hot fast. Mercedes wiped sweat from her brow as she called out to Kurt. Finally, the fair-skinned boy turned his head to see Mercedes in front of a rather large and silver Ford F-150. He quickly jogged over to her.

"Why aren't we hauling your tigers?" he asked. Mercedes shrugged.

"Will wants everyone driving something different for some reason. I think his overly gelled hair is starting to affect his brain. Finn's hauling them this time, but if he does something to my babies then his clown act is going to mysteriously lose one of its men." Kurt laughed and walked over to the passenger's side. He hoisted himself up and closed the door. Mercedes hauled herself up and slammed the door with a tremendous ' _thud_ '. They both buckled their seatbelts simultaneously. Kurt observed himself in the rearview mirror, trying to undo the damage that had been done to his 'do. Suddenly he saw something move in the back seat. Kurt slowly turned his head to look in the back, only see Blaine curled up in the back seat, fast asleep.

"Um, Mercedes?" he asked. "Why is Blaine passed out in the back?" Mercedes turned to look. Blaine was covered by a navy blanket, one arm hanging off the side of the seat. He snored softly, periodically murmuring in his sleep. Kurt had to say, it was kind of cute. Mercedes turned in her seat to look at the motionless teen.

"Oh, I forgot he was there." Kurt face-palmed and shook his head. Mercedes made an annoyed sound.

"He was exhausted after helping take down equipment and checking to make sure everything was ready," Mercedes sighed, turning back to the front she cranked the truck. It roared to life. Their seats vibrated over the powerful engine. "Will told him he could crash here."

"Ah," Kurt said, taking one last glance at the slumbering Blaine before returning to the front. Mercedes got the signal that they were ready to go and trailed behind a large truck that carried the big top. They crept along until they reached the highway, where they boosted up their speed with a sonorous growl from the engine.

"He seems to have so much responsibility," Kurt said absentmindedly as they rode along. He observed all the traffic. There were a fair number of cars on the road. Kurt tried to find as many license plates from different states as possible. "Blaine, I mean."

"Yeah, well, he's been in the Cirque for a while and he's kind of Will's right hand man," Mercedes said. "It just comes with the job I guess." Kurt nodded and leaned his forehead against the window. The windowpane was warm because of the summer heat. He watched the trees pass by, too quickly for his eyes to focus on them. His head bobbed occasionally by a bump in the road, but for the most part the ride was smooth, and the road was hypnotizing. In no time Kurt had fallen asleep.

Blaine was having the most wonderful dream that consisted of swirling colors of blue and silver and bright blue-green eyes until the truck had hit a large bump in the road. He groaned and opened his eyes. It took a minute for them to focus. Blaine's body was still tingly from sleep and his limbs felt heavy. He attempted to move the arm he was currently using as a pillow, only to find it numb and immobile. Another soft groan escaped his lips. Well, might as well take a moment to just stay still and wake up.

After a few minutes of just lying there, Blaine finally attempted to sit up.

"Morning beautiful," Mercedes said, peering at his reflection in the rearview mirror. Blaine's hair was stuck up on the right side, and the same side of his face was red and dimpled from the creases in his shirt sleeve. Blaine made a noncommittal sound as he tried to rub his hair back into place.

"Is that any way to greet a lady?" Mercedes asked with an exaggerated, outraged expression. "I'm shocked Blaine Anderson!"

"Where's Kurt?" Blaine asked, wondering about the boy who had recently occupied his dreams and completely ignoring Mercedes sarcastic retort. Mercedes huffed as Blaine peered around the passenger's seat to see Kurt slumped against the window, cheek sticking to the windowpane so that it stayed stretched upward while gravity pulled the rest of him down, stetching his mouth an a funny sort of slant. Mercedes rolled her eyes as Blaine contemplated the sight before him.

"You two are impossible," she said, turning on the radio. "All you ever do is talk about each other." And with that Mercedes cranked up the radio to the very loud, pulsating Black Eyed Peas. In a swift moment two things happened: one- Blaine was _positive_ he felt his eardrums pop, and two- Kurt went from happily asleep to soaring out of his seat, protected from flying through the windshield solely by his seatbelt. He wipped his head to the left to glare at Mercedes, who cackled with laughter before turning the radio down to a volume more accepted by society. As Blaine rubbed his ears to check that he indeed still had the sense of hearing, Kurt punched Mercedes in the shoulder.

"What the  _hell_ , Mercedes?" Kurt yelled at the diva, "Were you  _trying_  to give me a heart attack?" Mercedes, who seemed un-phased, just laughed and changed lanes.

"I just thought that since you two are so keen to talk  _about_  each other, that you should have the opportunity  _to_  talk to each other before I throw you both out of this car," she said. "Because I am not the Encyclopedia Blaine or the Encyclopedia Kurt, so ask each other questions and talk to each other about each other, please and thank you." And with that Mercedes went silent. Kurt and Blaine just looked at each other with wounded faces.

"Um," Blaine sputtered. "I'm just gonna go back to sleep now." Kurt nodded quickly.

"Yeah, me too."

And with that, both boys assumed their previous positions and fell back into a not-so-comfortable slumber.


	11. Chapter 11

"Oh my god!" Kurt exclaimed, hands flying to his stubbed left foot. He hopped around a little in the grass, trying to breathe through the throbbing pain emitting from his big toe. ' _Okay, ask help when putting up tents._ ' He gingerly placed his foot back down as an amused Blaine walked up to him from his own tent positioned a ways away.

"You're obviously still in lala-land from the long drive," he said, helping Kurt to stabilize the tent's frame before trying to tether it into place, which was what Kurt had been trying to do before he hit his foot on a heavy box he'd forgotten he'd placed on the ground. "You'll zone back in after awhile." Kurt remained in brooding silence until they had successfully set up the tent. He searched around for anything he missed. He didn't notice anything. Now all there was to do was move all of his stuff in, which wouldn't take long seeing as how he didn't have many things other than his trunk and his cot.

"So what's up with you?" Blaine asked, half in a joking tone and half concerned. Kurt rolled his eyes and went to pick up his cot. He tucked it under his arm before ducking into the rust-colored tent. Blaine raised his eyebrows before following the pissy boy, as there was no other way to describe him, inside. He watched Kurt set up his cot, folding the legs out gently to make sure he didn't end up hurting himself again. After he'd set the thing up, Kurt plopped down on his butt on the end of the cot, bouncing a little as he made contact with the thin mattress. Blaine sat down beside him and stared at Kurt, observing eyelashes and smooth skin, slightly blushed.

"C'mon," Blaine finally said, nudging Kurt with his hand. "You were fine when we packed up, during the drive, and when we set up here. What's going on now?" Kurt sighed and flopped down on the cot, closing his eyes. Blaine turned his head to look at Kurt.

"I'm just tired, really," Kurt admitted. 'I'm not used to having to do this every five or so days. It's a little stressful. Not to mention that rude awakening Mercedes gave me- I didn't sleep very well at all after that." Blaine laughed and nodded in agreement.

"I know how you feel," Blaine said, shifting so that he didn't have to look at Kurt over his shoulder. "I was the same way when I first joined." Kurt sat up and crossed his legs. He cocked his head inquisitively at Blaine, not unlike a puppy when it's curious.

"How long have you been here Blaine?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "You seem to know everything about everything here. That kind of knowledge only comes with time." Blaine sat in silence for a beat, playing with his fingers. Finally he sighed.

"I've been here since I was thirteen," he admitted. Kurt arched an eyebrow, pursing his lips.

"That long?" he asked. Blaine nodded. "Why?"

"Issues," Blaine said. "Just issues." Kurt propped his hand on one of his hands. He watched Blaine fidget, trying to decided whether to confide in Kurt or not.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me anything," Kurt said, shrugging. "Everyone is entitled to secrets." Blaine smiled a small smile and moved to sit directly in front of Kurt. As he crossed his legs he positioned himself so that his knees touched Kurt's. They almost mirrored each other. Kurt analyzed Blaine, noticing the way one of his eyebrows was raised slightly higher than the other, the way his curls hung over them messily and yet like they meant to be that way, how his mouth twitched slightly as he struggled for words to come out of his mouth. Kurt felt a lump rise in his throat, a tingle in the pit of his stomach.

"I ran away from home, like many of the other teenagers in the Cirque," Blaine said, locking his eyes with Kurt. Kurt waited patiently for Blaine to continue.

"I was being harassed," Blaine said, folding his hands together in his lap. He didn't look up from his hands as he spoke. "People at my old school were cruel to those who didn't fit in. I was one of those metaphorical square pegs trying to fit into a round hole."

"They harassed you for being gay?" Kurt asked, eyebrows furrowed together. Blaine raised his eyes to Kurt's.

"Yeah," Blaine said. Kurt gazed at him, sympathetic. "Shoving, taunting, threats, I just couldn't take it anymore. I tried to get the faculty into it to help me out, but they didn't help at all. You could tell they figured it was something I just had to deal with. After a while I just stopped trying, and, like a coward, I ran away from home.

"I heard there was a circus in town, so I snuck out my window in the middle of the night. I left my parents a note. I still feel bad for not giving them more than that." Blaine looked away, gazing into nothingness. Kurt slipped his hand under Blaine's, wrapping his pale fingers around Blaine's darker ones.

"That's why I ran away," Kurt said, casting his eyes down. "There was this thug, Karofsky. He's always had a thing for shoving me into lockers." Blaine winced. He tightened his grip on Kurt's hand in support.

"Anyway," Kurt continued. "I could always brush off the shoves and the taunts. Even the slushies weren't too bad after a while- it was just a part of school life. But one day I guess I just got fed up with it all and I followed him into the locker room to confront him. Next thing I knew, he kissed me." Kurt bottom lip quivered just the tiniest bit. He could feel the hot tears fighting to fall down his face, but he held them in. Blaine felt his heart tighten, looking at those glistening eyes.

"Oh Kurt," he said, covering their hands with his other hand, stroking the back of Kurt's hand with his thumb. Blaine feared the worst. "He didn't-"

"No," Kurt said, cutting him off. "It was nothing like that. But I shoved him away and he ran out of the locker room. After that he threatened to kill me if I told anyone, and the shoving and taunting just got worse. The administration at my school is flawed, they can't do anything. The only person who cared was my father." Tears began to escape from behind closed eyes, rolling down flushed cheeks. "The only thing I regret is leaving him, though I try to at least send him a text or something every now and then to let him know I'm alright."

Blaine sat, speechless. He continued to rub circles on Kurt's hand, trying to sooth the boy a little bit. Kurt seemed to relax a little. He wiped the tears from his eyes and sniffled, but he seemed to regain composure. They both looked up into each others' eyes and smiled.

"Well," Blaine said with a strangled laugh. "I didn't expect a heart-to-heart this morning." Kurt laughed along with him. "Do you feel better?" Kurt pulled a handkerchief out of nowhere.

"Yeah," he said, wiping his nose on his handkerchief. "It felt good to tell someone. The only other person who knows why I'm here is Will." He tucked the handkerchief back into his pocket. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Blaine answered, giving Kurt's hand one final squeeze before letting go. "Whenever you need someone to talk to, I'm here." Kurt let out a breath and smiled, bringing his knees to his chest.

Blaine stood up and held his hand out. Kurt looked at it, confused. Blaine shook his hand a little, trying to get Kurt to take it.

"C'mon," he said. "I want to show you something." Kurt wrapped his hand around Blaine's, allowing the shorter boy to pull him up. He trailed behind Blaine, his right hand in Blaine's left. He was slightly light-headed, all of the emotions he'd experienced in the past five minutes swirling in his head. He concentrated on the comforting feeling of Blaine's hand around his, hoping he wouldn't fall flat on his face in his current state.

The two boys almost ran to Blaine's tent. Blaine murmured a quick " _watch your head_ " before letting go of Kurt's hand. Kurt just stood, gazing around the tent. It was very different from his. There was stuff everywhere even though they had just now set up camp. He spied the guitar he'd heard many nights ago, playing the lullaby that helped him sleep, even though Blaine wasn't aware of it. Kurt winced when he remembered the epic fall he'd taken that night, but the valiant way Blaine had rushed out to help him. His stomach fluttered.

"Here we are!" Blaine exclaimed. Kurt jumped at the sudden sound and turned to see Blaine holding a small, yellow, plush bird in his hand. Kurt raised his eyebrow. Blaine motioned for him to sit on his cot. Kurt sat, down, Blaine following after. Blaine handed the bird to Kurt, who cradled it in his hands, feeling the soft fabric on his fingers.

"This is going to sound strange," Blaine warned, "But it's true, so bear with me." Kurt sat patiently, waiting for Blaine to speak.

"Every time someone has joined the circus," Blaine started, "ever since I joined, I've found a small stuffed animal on the ground a day before they arrived." Kurt processed this information for a moment before coming to a realization.

"So this one is me?" he asked, holding the small bird up. Blaine sighed in relief, glad Kurt didn't think he was insane.

"Yeah," he said, holding his hand out for the small animal. Kurt handed the plush toy to him. "This one I found during clean up the day before you came to ask Will is you could join. I kind of saw your performance," he admitted, a blush creeping to his cheeks. "I've named him Pavarotti."

"Pavarotti," Kurt echoed, politely gesturing to take the bird back from Blaine. He turned Pavarotti in his hands, noticing that he was unblemished save for a smudge on its left wing.

"Do you have the other members' animals?" he asked. Blaine nodded and gestured to a small trunk that contained small animals of every color and species. Kurt walked over to them, still holding Pavarotti him his hand. He saw a red monkey, a blue crane, a green snake and at least a dozen other colorful animals.

"This one is Mercedes's," Blaine said, holding up a purple cat with large, plastic gold jewels as eyes. "Was it not meant for her?" Kurt laughed.

"Definitely was." Blaine put the cat back down and stood up. He stretched his arms, still a little sore from his uncomfortable position during the ride.

Um, Blaine?" Kurt asked, looking down at the little bird. "Would it be out of tradition if I asked to maybe keep Pavarotti?" Blaine crossed his arms and cocked his head.

"Well, I have everyone else's with me, but I'd be willing to part with Pavarotti," he said with a smile. "But only if you take care of him." Kurt nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course!" he said, holding the bird close. "Thanks, Blaine."

"Not a problem," Blaine replied. "Now you should probably get back to unpacking. No doubt Mike is going to start practice this afternoon." Kurt groaned.

"Don't remind me," Kurt replied, but there was a playful glint in his eyes that made Blaine chuckle as Kurt stepped out of his tent. When he couldn't hear the soft footsteps of Kurt anymore, he walked back towards the trunk full of animals. It seemed incomplete without Pavarotti, but Kurt seemed so eager to have that little yellow bird that Blaine couldn't refuse. Blaine sighed, closing the lid of the trunk.

After Kurt had told him why he'd joined the Cirque, Blaine couldn't help but feel like a coward. His situation hadn't really been near as bad a Kurt's, yet he ran away like the cowardly lion. At least Kurt had courage that Blaine never thought he could have. He mused over the part where that thug had kissed Kurt. Blaine clenched his jaw. What if that had been Kurt's first kiss? How dare that Karofsky take away something that was probably sacred to a boy like Kurt? The thought made Blaine's blood boil.

But it was over and done with, and Blaine swore he'd never let anything happen to Kurt like that again.


	12. Chapter 12

 

 

 

 

The day was a cloudy one. The world seemed asleep; neither whistle of the wind nor the cry of a crow could be heard in the desolate streets Blaine travelled along, leather messenger bag full of fliers slung across his body.

It was unnerving, the world being so lifeless, especially after the last town they were in. Blaine knew how this town, so large it was almost a city, could light up with celebration and excitement, but at the moment the streets were barren and the buildings gray.

Blaine scuffed his converse on the pavement as he spotted a local barber shop. He could see activity inside; the whole front of the shop was a glass window so passerby could peer in and watch a man have his hair trimmed or his beard shaved. Blaine looked at the swirling blue, white, and red stripes as he opened the door. A small bell dinged cheerily above his head. Unlike the streets the small shop was filled with sound: the radio in the corner broadcasting swinging bandstand music, the scrape of a razor being drug across a man's cheek, the ' _shwishing'_  of a pair of scissors as it sliced through hair, and the comfortable conversation between a man and his barber. Blaine softly cleared his throat. An old man who was trimming a small boy's hair looked over his work, peering over his thin glasses with kind eyes.

"Can I help you?" he asked, looking down at the messenger bag, "You sellin' somethin'?"

"No sir," Blaine said politely, stepping forward. "I'm actually with the circus that's in town and I was wondering if maybe I could hang a flier in your window." The old man looked Blaine over for a moment, staring from his hazel eyes to his curly hair and back again before a smile widened across his wrinkled face.

"Blaine Anderson?" the old man asked, stepping out from behind the barber's chair. "My you've grown! Where've you been boy?" Blaine shifted uncomfortably.

"You know where I've been, Charlie," Blaine said. The old man, Charlie, shrugged and his eyes softened. He stepped closer to Blaine.

"Your parents miss you," Charlie said with pleading eyes. "They want you home." Blaine sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I know," he said. "But I'm not staying here. They know why I ran away and I'm not coming back to this place full of homophobes. I won't stay where I'm not wanted." Charlie sighed in defeat and held his hand out. Blaine pulled a colorful flier boasting "Cirque de Joie! The most wondrous circus performance in the States!" Charlie picked up a roll of tape and taped the flier to the window so that all who passed by would see it.

"I remember when I used to cut your hair," chuckled Charlie. "You had a god-awful head of curls when you were little." The corner of Blaine's mouth twitched with the memory. It was a better time, when your peers didn't care about who you liked, but only if you were going to share your 100 pack of crayons.

"They'd still like to see you though," Charlie added after he taped the last corner to the glass. Blaine shrugged and turned to open the door.

"I haven't gone to see them in four years," Blaine said. "Every time the Cirque comes here, I can't bring myself to do it."

"Maybe this time," Charlie said encouragingly, walking back to his work. Blaine looked over his shoulder.

"Yeah, maybe this time." Blaine closed the door behind him, the cheery bell above his head sounding more mocking than happy. He started down the street once more, periodically stopping to tape a flier on a lamp post or bare wall. His head buzzed with memories of times he walked down these streets with his parents and times he was too afraid to because of kids from his school. He was suddenly glad the streets were empty, there was nobody there to call him a fag or push him against a wall. Then he thought of what happened to Kurt and he shivered, though the air was warm. Quickly he hustled down the street, hoping to find something to calm his mind.

Meanwhile, Kurt was in one of the most rigorous practice sessions of his life.

"C'mon Kurt!" Mike yelled. "Keep your arms straight! You were too limp during the last performance!" Kurt growled and tried to keep his arms outstretched as he gripped the silks. It was nearing one in the afternoon and they had been practicing since seven in the morning. He understood the need to practice before opening night in two days, but he also understood the need for a good night's sleep.

"There you go!" Mike praised, clapping his hands together. "You can take a break now!" The Asian then turned to harp at Santana, who was too busy flirting with Brittany to actually practice. Kurt lowered himself down to the mat and grabbed a bottle of water. He walked over to one of the empty stands and sat on the metal bench. He quickly opened the bottle and gulped down the water, relishing how the liquid hydrated his parched throat. He capped the lid and pressed the bottle to his forehead, sighing at the coldness against his skin. Condensation from the bottle trickled down onto his face, but he was too tired to care if it ran into his eyes. He watched his fellow aerialists as they went through steps of the dance part of the routine.

Brittany was flawless as always, moving her body as easily as a snake. Santana mirrored Brittany's movements with a lesser amount of grace but with much more sensuality. Together they created a yin and yang of beauty and foreboding. Mike nodded approvingly before Santana stepped wrong and they had to start over, Mike yelling counts as he clapped his hands. Kurt shook his head, trying to suppress his increasing headache. He decided the best way to get rid of his was to not think about it, and the best way to not think about it was to not think about the cause of it, so Kurt let his mind wander to less pressing things. Suddenly the gaze of warm hazel eyes came to mind and the touch of calloused fingers from years of playing guitar and hard work around the Cirque.

Kurt blushed and set the water bottle down, covering his face with his hands. He had to admit, he was forming a crush on Blaine, but he was embarrassed to admit it. He was afraid that if Blaine didn't feel the same way then he'd lose the only one that really understands him. But he couldn't help but smile at the gentle, intelligent way Blaine spoke or feel his heart leap whenever his name passed Blaine's lips. Kurt thought then of Pavarotti, who was currently sitting on Kurt's cot. Kurt had sat for a good while just holding the bird after Blaine had let him have it. He'd thought about his growing feelings for Blaine, how the boy listened to him when he confessed why he ran away from home. He had cradled Pavarotti against his chest when he laid down to sleep. He couldn't help but feel as though he had some part of Blaine in that bird even though it was supposed to symbolize Kurt himself.

"Kurt!" Mike yelled, braking Kurt out of his musings. The pale boy groaned, slowly walking to Mike to continue his excruciating practice.

 

Blaine sat in a little coffee shop nursing a medium drip and a chocolate biscotti. He needed a little pick-me-up. Thankfully there wasn't really anyone else in the shop that doubled as a bookstore, and the only person working was an old lady who probably couldn't remember where she parked her car that morning.

He absentmindedly dunked the biscotti in his coffee, barely tasting the chocolate as he nibbled on the end. He searched his mind of something, anything to think about. His mind wandered to eyes that couldn't decide between green, blue or gray and skin that glowed under the spotlight.

Okay, Blaine liked Kurt, a lot. But he wasn't sure of his feelings on a deeper level than friendship. Blaine had never had a boyfriend before and he honestly couldn't tell what his feelings meant. He did know that Kurt was beautiful, and a diva, but most of all he knew that Kurt was a tortured soul like him. There was a connection between the two of them, an understanding. Suddenly, Blaine's phone vibrated on the table.

"Yeah?" Blaine asked, pushing the answer button. He could hear Will's laugh through the phone.

"Are you almost done?" Will asked. "We need you back here." Blaine groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, I just have one more street to hit then I'll be right there," he said. He heard Will make a noise similar to a "hmph".

"Are you alright?" Will asked, genuinely concerned. Blaine bit his lips and stayed silent for a moment.

"Yeah," he finally said. "Yeah, I'm just fine."

"Then get moving!" Will exclaimed. "Time is of the essence!" And with that Will hung up the phone. Blaine shook his head and placed his phone in his pocket. He draped his messenger back over his shoulder and picked up his coffee, munching on his biscotti as he quietly slipped out the door.

The last street was easy, just a few lamp posts to plaster with fliers. Blaine quickly taped them up, biscotti hanging out of the corner of his mouth. As he bent down to pick up his coffee he'd placed on the ground, he spied a familiar house down the street. His heart skipped a beat as he noticed a woman with dark hair outside tending to the rose bushes. He stood frozen for a moment when suddenly the woman turned around, eyes gazing to the boy standing awkwardly on the street corner. She seemed confused for a moment before her hand flew to her heart. Blaine sucked in his breath. He quickly turned around and almost sprinted down the street towards his truck.

He leapt into the driver's side, heart pounding. As he pulled out of the parking space he saw the woman standing on the street corner holding his forgotten coffee cup with his name scribbled onto the side. As he drove away he looked at her in his rearview mirror, his eyes stinging.

"Sorry, mom."

 


	13. Chapter 13

One thing that Mercedes prided herself on was her ability to sense when something was wrong. Even when someone hid their emotions behind the thickest of facades, she could always worm her way through that unbreakable exterior and find the true pain underneath. This however was not one of those times when she had to use her gift of prying problems out of seemingly happy people. There was clearly something wrong with Blaine as he rushed through the mass of circus tents, blindly weaving in and out of performers on break from practice and workers setting up lights and decorations not yet hung up. He almost knocked over Sam and Finn in his haste, barreling through them as if they weren't even there.

"Blaine!" she shouted, hurrying after him. " _Blaine_!" He seemed to not have heard her. He continued his quickened pace, not exactly a run but a hell of a lot faster than a stride. Blaine seemed to be heading straight to his tent. By the time Mercedes had caught up with him he had almost ducked his head under the flap.

"Blaine freakin' Anderson, you slow your ass down  _right. Now_." Mercedes demanded, hand flying out to grab his arm. She pulled him back with an enormous tug. Blaine snapped out of his trance, yanked his arm out of Mercedes's grasp and whipped around, staring at Mercedes with wild eyes that shimmered with tears of many emotions: anger, frustration, fear, sadness. They stared at each other before Mercedes asked softly, "What happened?" Blaine seemed to deflate before her eyes.

"I um," he said, clearing his throat. His voice shook and he swallowed, trying to retain some strength. "I saw my mom." Mercedes sucked in her breath.

"Did you talk to her?" Blaine shook his head.

"No, I just saw her. She was working in the rose garden, like she used to when I," pause. "When I lived with her. She just looked up and saw me." Blaine clenched his fists at his sides. "I ran."

"Oh, Blaine," Mercedes said, throwing her arms around Blaine's neck. He buried his face in Mercedes's hair and wrapped his arms around her, finding comfort in her familiar smell. No tears fell; they both stood in silence, the only sounds being Blaine's ragged breathing as he tried to gain composure and the soft cooing of Mercedes, who was rubbing Blaine's back like a comforting mother would.

 

 

Kurt hurt just like he always did after practice. His muscles screamed, his skin tingled, his throat burned, everything just  _hurt_. But, he felt accomplished. Mike said that he was satisfied with today's practice. Now all Kurt wanted to do was  _sleep_.

The young aerialist huffed as he trudged onwards, already imagining the sensation of soft blankets, the call of sleep as it weighed down his eyelids, the comforting feeling of dreams as they tugged at his senses, warping reality into fantastical fantasy. Just when Kurt came into view of his tent, something caught his eye.

Across the way stood Blaine and Mercedes- hugging. Their arms were wound tightly around each other, Blaine's face buried within the raven locks of Mercedes's hair. Kurt blinked for a moment before he felt his heart swell with jealousy.

Oh, so Blaine wasn't just gay- he was  _bi_. The thought infuriated Kurt. How dare Blaine play with his emotions like that? He just conveniently omitted that he was attracted to both boys and girls. Kurt felt dizzy. The touches, heart to hearts, the _scarf_ \- they meant nothing. Kurt cursed himself for making Blaine's attraction towards him all up in his head. He quietly fumed as he stood out of sight of his two friends. Then suddenly Kurt's hateful thoughts came to a halt as a sob escaped Blaine's lips. Kurt's body froze. He could see Mercedes tense up and usher Blaine into his tent, out of Kurt's line of sight. Kurt felt his heart tighten.

What happened to make Blaine cry? Kurt felt the need to rush over to Blaine's tent and comfort Blaine the way Blaine had comforted him, but he didn't even know what was going on. Kurt shifted his weight from foot to foot as he tried to formulate a plan in his worried mind. He was caught up in his worry for Blaine and his embarrassment for jumping to conclusions.

Okay, so he was going to nonchalantly wander to Blaine's tent and pretend like he didn't know anything, that he was just visiting. But what about Mercedes? Kurt cast his eyes skyward in frustration. Just when he decided to skip out on the plan and just get some rest, Mercedes emerged from the confines of Blaine's tent. She looked over at him with a wary yet knowing gaze before walking off towards the Cirque. Alright, it was now or never.

Kurt slowly made his way over to Blaine's tent, stopping short of the entrance, to be polite.

"Blaine?" he asked tentatively. For a moment there was no reply and Kurt felt like he should just leave the poor boy alone, but then came Blaine's soft reply.

"Y-yeah?" Kurt worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

"Could I come in for a moment?" Kurt continued to bite his lip as he waited for a reply, feeling stupid and worried and wondering why the hell he was even standing outside Blaine's tent in the first place when the boy probably wanted nothing more than to be alone.

"Um, yeah," came Blaine's voice. Kurt heard the rustle of fabric from inside the tent. "Just give me a moment." Kurt waited impatiently, tapping his foot lightly in the grass.

"Okay," Blaine said. "Come in."

Kurt ducked inside, gaze immediately landing the dark-haired boy, who was currently sitting on his cot, eyes looking anywhere but at Kurt.

"What's up?" Kurt asked stupidly. He mentally kicked himself. Blaine spoke, but his eyes still remained adverted.

"Nothing much," Blaine said, knee bouncing up and down nervously. Kurt exhaled and crossed his arms lightly against his chest.

"Liar." Blaine's head shot up and Kurt sucked in air when he saw that Blaine's eyes were red from crying, that he looked ready to crack at any moment. Kurt honestly didn't know what to say. He let his arms fall to his sides. "What happened to you?" Blaine let out a laugh, but it sounded hollow, bitter.

"I uh," he cleared is throat. "I saw my mom," he said. Kurt cocked his head, unsure of what to say, but Blaine didn't wait for Kurt to speak. He looked upwards at nothing in particular, hands laced together in his lap. "I'm from this town, did I tell you? I just saw her and in true ' _Blaine_ ' fashion I ran."

Kurt took a step towards Blaine, silently asking permission to approach him. Blaine scooted down his cot to make room for Kurt, who just sat down beside him, close to Blaine but far enough away so that they didn't touch each other.

"Tell me something," Kurt said, looking at Blaine. They searched each others' eyes for a moment, both getting lost in hues of either hazel or blue. Kurt blinked and tried to ground himself, tried to remember what he was going to say in the first place. "What was your first thought when you saw your mom?" Blaine shifted uneasily, staring ahead of him.

"My first thought was that she hasn't changed a bit," Blaine said, still staring ahead of him. "She was trimming the rose bushes, like she always did. She wore the same apron, the same gloves, even her hair was the same. And then I remembered that I wasn't thirteen anymore, and then she looked at me." Blaine stopped suddenly, placing his head in his hands. "I hadn't seen her in so long, I didn't know if she'd recognize me, but as soon as she looked I me I knew. I knew she knew who I was. I got scared, so I ran."

Kurt just watched the other boy as he sat there, hunched over with his face in his hands. They sat in silence, Kurt didn't really know what to say and Blaine was too afraid to say anything more.

"Are you going to see her again?" Kurt asked finally. "Confront her?" Blaine let out a staggered breath.

"I don't know." Suddenly there was a gust of wind outside. It rocked the tent slightly, its sides billowing in the wind. Both boys jumped at the sudden movement, instinctively scooting closer to each other. Blaine was the first to notice their close proximity and scooted away so they he and Kurt had a considerable distance between them. After the wind died down, Kurt shrugged and clasped his hands together.

"Well, you've got about a week to figure it out," Kurt said. It was true, they never stayed anywhere long. Even though this town was their biggest money-maker, Will never liked to dwell in a place for more than a week. The time limit made Blaine's heart beat painfully fast against his ribcage.

"I don't know if I can muster up that much courage in time," he said, running his hand through his mess of curls.

"Well, then I guess we'll have to see a wizard," Kurt said, looking at Blaine. "Pity there isn't a convenient yellow brick road nearby." Blaine couldn't help but laugh. He nudged Kurt's shoulder with his own playfully.

"What could the wizard give you then?" Blaine asked, a small smile playing his lips as he and Kurt looked at each other. "I'm sure you have a brain and heart and I know for a fact you have a hell of a lot more courage than I do." Kurt chuckled and shrugged.

"We'll focus on getting your courage first," Kurt said, standing up. "Then we'll figure out what I need." Blaine laughed and stood up as well.

"Thanks," Blaine said. Kurt saw that playful glint he remembered the night he fell in the grass shine in Blaine's eyes. Mission accomplished. "So, how was your day?" Blaine asked, trying to move on to a less dreary subject. Kurt groaned and flopped back down on the cot.

"Dreadful," he said, face scrunching up at the memory of the day's practice. "But Mike said we were doing great, so we don't have anything to do except the run-through tomorrow. I'm glad though." Blaine sat down and looked down at the boy who was currently sprawled across his cot.

"I bet," he said. "I can only imagine what it's like to practice like that almost every day." Kurt said up and drew his knees up to his chest, arms locked around his legs.

"I don't mean to pry," Kurt said, looking at Blaine from behind his eyelashes. "But why don't you perform in the Cirque like everyone else? You've been here the longest, why not perform in a show you work so hard to create?" The playful glint in Blaine's eyes seemed to flicker, and Kurt felt like he just brought down the mood back from comfortable to awkward.

"I don't really have a talent," Blaine explained, eyes focused on Kurt. "Everyone else joined with a trait already at hand, but I can't juggle or do magic or twirl in the air. I'm pretty useless as an act." Hazel eyes were again filled with sadness.

"But you do have a talent," Kurt argued. "You can sing and play guitar, I've heard you!" Blaine seemed to be taken aback by the fact that Kurt had heard him. Blood rushed to his cheeks. It's not like he didn't sing and play for his friends in the Cirque, but he hadn't realized that Kurt had heard him playing when he wasn't in front of an audience.

"Yeah, but that's useless out there in the big top. People don't go to circuses to be sung to."

"Then I'll teach you," Kurt said. Tension filled the air and Blaine's heart began to race as he realized what Kurt meant.

"Teach me what?" he asked in a low voice, already formulating a way to let Kurt down easy.

"Silks!" Kurt exclaimed. "I'm sure you could do it with practice. You have strong arms, and besides, I've seen the way you stare during the show, the longing in your eyes. I could give you what you want- to be a performer." Kurt's eyes were wild with the idea. His face was flushed, his heart thrummed in his chest, his hands trembled against his legs. Blaine just stared at him with sad eyes.

"I can't," he said, speaking softly. "I just can't, Kurt." The excitement left Kurt's eyes. He unhooked his hands and let his legs fall so that he sat with his legs crossed on Blaine's cot. He just looked at Blaine with his piercing eyes before standing up. Blaine thought that Kurt was going to leave, but Kurt just walked to Blaine's guitar case and opened the lid. Pale fingers grasped the neck, the steel strings vibrated slightly and let out a small sound as Kurt's fingertips brushed against them. He picked the guitar up and walked back towards Blaine.

"Then play me a song," Kurt said, holding Blaine's guitar out to him. "Use the only talent you say you have and play me a song. Anything, I've wanted to hear you again." Blaine didn't understand Kurt's request, what it had to do with anything, why Kurt's eyes burned with a strange intensity he only had seen once before, when Kurt had performed his talent in front of Will, the first time Blaine ever saw him. But he took the guitar from Kurt's hand and set it across his lap, arms falling into familiar positions. He caressed the fret board with his fingertips as his other hand strummed lightly against the strings. Kurt just stood in front of him, one hand on his hip, waiting for Blaine to do something.

Blaine furiously sorted through his head to find a song, but he was so confused and pressured he couldn't think of anything. Then suddenly he remembered that he heard Kurt say he liked the Beatles at some point, probably the day they went out into town. Kurt had commented on his shirt, saying that the color was dreadful but the band was a nice choice. He finally decided on a specific song. He began to pick and strum, trying to remember the song by heart.

" _Blackbird singing in the dead of night_ ," he sang. " _Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life- you were only waiting for this moment to arise_." Blaine watched Kurt as he sang and played. Kurt seemed to approve of his song choice. Blaine could see the smile tugging on the corners of Kurt's lips. As Blaine opened his mouth to sing again, Kurt opened his.

" _Blackbird signing in the dead of night, take these sunken eyes and learn to see. All your life- you were only waiting for this moment to be free_ ," They both sang, Blaine's voice and Kurt's. Blaine was shocked to hear that damn, Kurt could  _sing_. His voice was smooth, almost angelic. It didn't sound like Kurt sang this low often though, and Blaine had the suspicion that Kurt could sing pretty high, judging by his speaking voice. As they continued on, Blaine dropped out all together so that it was just Kurt singing.

" _Blackbird fly. Blackbird fly, into the light of the dark black night_ ," Kurt sang, eyes never leaving Blaine. Blaine just played, Kurt's voice dancing around his ears. Was there anything Kurt couldn't do? Blaine finally strummed the last chord of the song. He just looked at Kurt, not quite sure what to make of the situation.

"If I can sing, you can do silks," Kurt said. Blaine sat down his guitar and stood up, looking upwards into Kurt's eyes.

"That doesn't make any sense," he said, crossing his arms.

"Doesn't have to," Kurt said, mimicking Blaine as he too crossed his arms. "But I want you to at least try." Blaine sighed. There was no getting through to Kurt.

"I'll try," he said, hoping that Kurt would just forget all about this agreement later. It didn't seem likely though by the way Kurt was staring at Blaine with determined eyes. Kurt held his hand out between them.

"Promise?" he asked, gazing at Blaine with questioning eyes. Blaine hesitated, but then brought his hand up to grasp Kurt's.

"Promise."

 


	14. Chapter 14

Water dripped lightly from a shiny, ergonomic faucet- a product of a careless hand and an inattentive eye.  _Drip. Drip. Drip._ It splashed into the basin of the kitchen sink before rolling towards the drain, where it fell out of sight down the pipe.

Above the sink, on the white windowsill, beside a vase that sported red and purple impatiens, sat an empty generic, coffee cup with a name scrawled in loopy writing on the side with a black sharpie:

_Blaine_

It had sat in that spot since yesterday, staying in sight of the woman who worked in the kitchen no matter where she was- whether she was washing dishes, cooking dinner, or sitting at the table, she could always see it in her line of sight. When the cup had first arrived in the household though, it had resided in the living room, cradled in the tan hands of that same woman. Tears had fallen on the cup, smudging the name written on it and causing the ink to bloom and run together. These smudges were now pronounced in the early morning light that streamed through the window.

The person who had put it there was currently upstairs, curled up in bed with her husband. She hadn't slept well that previous night, memories of goodbye notes and despair over never seeing her boy ever again wound through her subconscious and choked the life out of any pleasant dreams that tried to surface themselves. Now, she hesitantly opened her eyes.

She knew it was early to be getting up, but her mind plagued her, so she stepped quietly out the bedroom door and down the stairs to the kitchen. As she passed the sink she noticed the dripping of the faucet. She wrapped her hand around the handle and shut the water off. Her brown eyes flicked up to look at the cup, innocently sitting by the vase of flowers. Shivers wracked her body and she pulled her light blue robe tighter around herself.

"What should we do?" a voice behind her said. She turned to see he husband, also wary with lack of sleep. "What do you want to do?" The woman sighed and wrapped her arms around herself.

"He ran away, maybe we shouldn't do anything," she said, staring out the window, gazing at her rose bushes. Her husband came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her small frame.

"But he didn't run away because of us. He ran away because of this town," her husband said. "Perhaps we should go to the circus. We should at least talk to him. He's seventeen now." Tears brimmed in the woman's eyes.

"You didn't see his face when he saw me. He looked scared to death," she said, choking on the last word. Her husband turned her around so that he could look into her eyes.

"He hasn't seen you in four years, of course he'd be scared," he said, gazing at her with those same hazel eyes his son possessed. "We need to see him." The woman swallowed and nodded.

"You're right," she said, giving a small smile. Her husband smiled back and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"He needs to know that we love him," he said. "And accept him for who he is. I regret the way I was when he was with us. I shouldn't have tried to change him." Shame came over his face. The woman brushed his cheek with her fingers. They looked into each others' eyes, and then embraced each other. Tomorrow they were going to get their son back.

 

 

"What's wrong with you?" asked Mercedes as she raised her bottle of juice to her lips. Kurt, who sat across from her at a table in the dining tent, just shrugged and continued to play around with the strawberry that he a rolling around on his plate.

"Nothing," he said, stabbing the red fruit with his fork. "Why would you think anything was wrong?"

"Because you haven't said anything about my outfit, you've barely eaten breakfast, and I can clearly see that you didn't brush your hair properly this morning," Mercedes said, placing her elbows on the table and resting her shin on her interlaced fingers. "So, what's up?" Kurt placed his fork on his plate and pushed it aside. He sighed and propped his head on his hand, elbow on the table.

"It's Blaine," he admitted. "He just seems really upset about his mom and I really want to try and make him feel better about it." Mercedes nodded in agreement and placed her hands on the table, twiddling her thumbs.

"I know what you mean," she said. "When I left him yesterday he was a mess. I'm guessing you didn't fare much better?"

"Not really," Kurt said. "I made him laugh a couple of times, but he was still pretty rough when I left. He seems like such a great guy, he doesn't deserve to be so sad like this." Mercedes made a face and crossed her arms.

"Uh, oh," she said, pursing her lips. "I know that look Kurt Hummel. I've seen it on every star-struck girl in this circus. You've got a thing for Blaine- that's what's got you messed up." Kurt rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide the blush that crept up his cheeks and stained his porcelain skin. He averted his eyes and began playing with the strawberry on his plate again.

"Maybe I do, but that has nothing to do with the situation at the moment," he said, bringing up the strawberry to his lips. "I can deal with unrequited love for a while. Right now, Blaine's distressed and we need to help him."

"Perhaps, but I think this is something we can't help with," Mercedes said, a hint of despair in her eyes. "I mean, he's got to confront his parents. All we can do is encourage him. And maybe once he's done that, we can work on getting him to be your man." Mercedes winked and cackled when Kurt shot her a death glare. They sat in silence as Mercedes finished her breakfast. After she had eaten her last bite, they threw their plates and utensils away and headed towards the big top. They had to get ready for the run through of the performance so they'd be ready for tomorrow's opening.

 

 

Kurt slipped into his costume with ease, the silver and blue fabric gliding over his skin. He stretched his arms upward to warm up his muscles and to also make sure the costume fit properly.

It was quiet in the big top. Kurt didn't hear much activity outside the small "changing room" that he was in. He peeked out from behind the curtain that hid his body from the rest of the back of the tent where props were stored and performers hung out when they weren't out in the ring. Everyone was getting ready to run through their acts- grabbing props, stretching, practicing juggling routines. It was like clockwork. Kurt frowned at the dullness of it all. Was this how it ended up being? You become so used to how everything is done that becomes automatic?

As Kurt reached behind him he realized that he couldn't zip himself up in the back. No matter how he tried to reach, he could only zip himself halfway up his back. Well, that was troublesome. Kurt peaked around the curtain to find someone to help him out, but everyone looked busy save for a certain curly-headed boy that was currently standing awkwardly in the middle of the quiet chaos, quite puzzled with the lack of responsibility.

Kurt blushed and pressed his palm to his forehead. He decided the universe was trying to punish him for something he'd done in a past life. Still, it would be an excuse to have Blaine touch him and how could Kurt pass that up?

Quickly Kurt stepped out from behind the curtain and quietly walked over to Blaine, trying to look as suave as possible. He put on his best strut, hips swaying dangerously from side to side. His glittering costume caught Blaine's eye immediately and the boy turned, giving a small smile when he saw who it was approaching him.

"I'm sorry to ask," Kurt started, keeping his voice calm. "But would you mind zipping me up? I can't reach." Blaine chuckled and motioned for Kurt to turn around.

"No problem, I help with costumes all the time," Kurt heard Blaine say behind him. The taller boy almost jumped as he felt Blaine's feather-light touch between his shoulder blades. Blaine zipped up the costume painfully slow, while his other hand lay rested on Kurt's back. Kurt shivered at the heat coming from Blaine's hand and felt his heart begin to pump faster in his chest. His skin seemed hypersensitive to Blaine's touch and Kurt was embarrassed with himself at how much he could get worked up over such a small thing as Blaine touching his back. Finally Blaine zipped the costume all the way up. He brushed the back of Kurt's neck with his fingertips before withdrawing his hands. He shoved them in his pockets as Kurt turned around.

"Thanks," Kurt said, trying to will his blush to go away. Blaine swallowed and shrugged, hazel eyes staring into blue ones.

"Anytime," he said breathlessly. Just as Kurt was about to say something more, Will came bursting into the back of the tent.

"Let's go people!" he shouted. "The sooner we run this through the sooner we can relax before opening tomorrow!" Immediately there was a rush of feet, flailing of hands, and whoops of excited performers. Blaine just gave Kurt an apologetic look before disappearing into the big top, leaving the taller boy standing awkwardly amidst the hustle. Kurt's lips spread into a smile before he set off to find his fellow aerialists.

 

 

Blaine was mildly flustered when he took a seat on the metal stands in the big top. As Will practiced his introduction, Blaine's mind strayed to thoughts of Kurt's milky pale skin. He wasn't even remotely bothered when Kurt had asked him to zip him up, but now that Blaine thought back to it, how could he not have been? Just the thought of touching the soft skin of Kurt's back against sent shivers down his spine. What was wrong with him?

Emotions battled with each other as Blaine's thoughts bounced between his parents and Kurt's skin, despair clashing with attraction and his feelings of aguish and bitterness battling with teenage lust. Blaine could feel a headache coming on as he watched each performer run through their act. His right temple pulsed aggressively and he wished that Will would just  _shut_.  _up_. The Ringmaster's voice echoed dangerously around the big top. Blaine groaned and leaned back in his seat, unwilling to get up. He pushed his palm against his forehead, trying to relax himself.

Mike, Santana, Brittany, and Kurt strutted into the ring after about an hour of run-throughs. As Will recited his intro for the aerialists Blaine tried to open his eyes. He relaxed when the lights were dimmed and the spotlight was turned on the aerialists. The music began and Blaine was glad that the keyboardist's wrist was healed so he could just sit and enjoy the act.

He watched Kurt more closely, like he always did. The fiery passion that blazed in the blue eyes, the tension in his jaw, the sensual way Kurt moved about the silk, the way he danced with Brittany like they were lovers, the way his muscles tensed under his costume, how the boy's eyelashes cast spidery shadows on his high cheekbones. All these little details sprung to Blaine's attention as the aerialists moved through their performance with ease. Blaine's heart thrummed him his chest as the music swelled and he kept his eyes glued on the airborne figures.

When the act was suddenly over, Blaine couldn't help but feel disappointed. He watched Kurt laugh with Mike as they congratulated each other on a prefect pre-performance. Brittany and Santana sauntered away, back into the back of the tent. Mike gave one last congratulatory pat on the back to Kurt before following them. Kurt however stayed behind and looked over to the stands. Blaine felt his grin widen across his face as Kurt's eyes finally laid on him. Kurt walked towards the stands and walked up the metal benches to sit beside Blaine on his right.

"Well?" he asked, looking at Blaine with inquisitive eyes. Blaine smiled and pretended to play dumb.

"Well, what?" he asked. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"How did we do?" Kurt asked, like it was the most obvious question in the world. Blaine leaned back and rested his shoulders on the bench behind him. The cold steel cut into his back.

"Amazing, as always," he said truthfully. "You're going to wow the crowd tomorrow night." Kurt laughed in his throat and leaned back to mimic Blaine, back against the bench.

"You really think so?" he asked, insecurity clearly showing in his eyes, his furrowed brow. Blaine looked over at Kurt with a serious expression.

"You really don't know how great you are, do you?" he asked. Kurt sat up and just looked at Blaine, like he couldn't believe what Blaine just asked. Blaine sat up as well and slipped his right hand under Kurt's, covering it with his other hand. "You're amazing, Kurt," he said, gauging Kurt's emotions through the glittering of his blue eyes and the pulse in his wrist. "The way you fly through the air is just awe-inspiring. Never doubt that." Kurt just looked at Blaine and swallowed, trying to force words out of his constricting throat. Kurt's eyes shimmered with gratitude and unintentional tears and he licked his lips, Blaine's eyes following Kurt's every movement. Finally, Kurt just laughed appreciatively and put his un-held hand over Blaine's, and Blaine knew that there was something new between them. Not quite adoration and certainly not love, but a fondness and appreciation for each other that had grown between the conversations of utter nonsense and the trading of bits of each other's souls that they had willingly given each other in their quests for comfort and understanding. As hazel connected with blue, another piece of themselves was traded- a piece of their hearts.


	15. Chapter 15

Tonight was the night. Nobody knew why they felt that tonight was  _the_  night, or what it meant that it was  _the_  night, but there was a buzzing in the air that differed from the usual static that was formed due to the excitement of the patrons and the performers. Tonight was the night, that's all anyone knew. Tonight something was going to happen.

The circus was decked out to all of its highest standards, from the twinkling lights that were hung high above the heads of circus goers like a glowing spider web and the multi-colored streamers that tickled the humid air of the evening to the booths and small tents of games and attractions that were designed to keep customers entertained before the feature performances in the big top. The circus was a beacon of light and color among the dark, almost forest-like location. The residents of the circus became creatures of the night during this hour of the evening, turning from teenagers to mysterious, enchanting figures that humored the imaginations of the adults and the children that entered the Cirque de Joie.

Already the booths and tents were becoming increasingly occupied with patrons. The air smelled of candy, hot dogs, smoke and exhilaration. Among these patrons strolled a couple that seemed very out of place. Instead of indulging in a soft pretzel or having their fortune told, their eyes roamed furiously over every booth and tent, scanning for their son. Unfortunately, he was nowhere in sight. Little did they know that he was but mere meters away, hidden by a rather large poster hanging from a wire. They passed by without a thought, their son oblivious to their existence.

 

 

Blaine finished fixing the poster for what seemed the fourth of fifth time. It just didn't want to stay put. After he securely fastened it once more, tugging on the poster for good measure, he straightened his customary purple and red vest. He yawned rather loudly as he stepped out from behind the poster, feeling his ears pop from the effort. He licked his lips before trudging off to his assigned post for the night, which as actually helping out the other performers as they gave impromptu performances before the main show. His job was to hold torches, light torches, extinguish torches, and make sure nobody killed themselves with torches. Just as he strolled up to Quinn and Puck, Quinn was eliciting a roar from an accumulated crowd.

"Would anyone like to see some fire breathing tonight?" she yelled, holding an unlit torch in one hand and a container of fluid in the other. The crowd roared again and Quinn nodded to Puck, who lit the torch. Quinn held the container of fluid to her ruby lips, taking in a mouth full. Her cheeks protruded, reminiscent of a chipmunk's as she brandished her fire in front of the young children that had pushed their way to the front of the crowd. Their eyes sparkled with delight as the flame swished by them. Quinn backed up a few steps before arching her back and holding the torch in front of her face. She drew in a large breath through her nose before spewing the flammable liquid out of her mouth. A swirling cloud of orange fire burst into the air, sending heat waves rolling over the audience. Blaine laughed and clapped along with the rest of crowd, which whooped and applauded with glee. Quinn smiled and bowed, flipping the torch expertly in her hand.

The crowd dispersed after a few more seconds of applause and Blaine walked up to Quinn, who was washing her mouth out with water.

"Wonderful performance, as always," he commented. Quinn rolled her eyes and spat out her water, licking her lips.

"I've been doing this for awhile Blaine, every performance is wonderful," she said, handing the still-lit torch to Puck, who proceeded to use it to light two ends of a long staff. "But thank you." As Puck started to perform speed spins and drop spins with his staff, passers-by began to accumulate once again. Quinn looked at Blaine and shook her head.

"He never gets tired of that," Blaine said. Quinn laughed and nodded.

"Well," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "We have about half an hour before the big show; I need get to the big top to help with make-up. Will you be all right alone with this beast?" Quinn gestured to Puck, who was now twirling the staff high above his head. Blaine pretended to ponder for a moment.

"I suppose so, but any injury that befalls me is entirely your fault." Quinn waved Blaine's comment off and walked away towards the big top. Blaine sighed and tried not to flinch when Puck's staff got too close to a dangling streamer. He hoped not to have a repeat of last time. That would ruin his whole day.

 

 

Kurt squirmed in his chair, hating to sit still for so long.

"If you move again I will stab you in the eye," Quinn said crossly, trying to apply a set of silver and blue jewels to the side of his face. Kurt pursed his lips and willed his body to stay in place. He already had his costume on. He hadn't been outside the big top since the circus opened and he was anxious to move around. Finally Quinn applied glue to the final jewel and held it to his skin, just beside the corner of Kurt's right eye until it stuck. As soon as her hand moved away from his face he jumped up and checked the time. Only fifteen minutes before show time.

Quinn winked at Kurt without a word and walked over to Tina to help her apply her make-up. Kurt popped his neck a couple of times, once stretching it to the left and once to the right, before stepping over to a clear area to stretch his limbs. He stretched his legs, his back, his arms. He had a routine for how he stretched his muscles, gliding through each muscle gracefully like a dancer. He was taught to be fluent in every motion he performed, from the largest movement, like walking, to the smallest, such as picking up an object of a table. Kurt knew from experience that it was hard to always be graceful, take the glorious fall in the wet grass for instance. Still, Kurt tried to maintain what he'd been taught whenever he remembered to.

Kurt could hear the chatter of the audience as the big top filled with people. He was excited and nervous. Hopefully he could perform as well as he did last time, but there was always that one moment that could happen when everything would go all to hell. Kurt moved to sit cross-legged, placing his palm on his knees and closing his eyes, breathing slowly through his nose. He could do this. He's done it before. And, after all, Blaine said that he was amazing.

 

 

Layla Anderson and her husband Charles quickly shuffled into the big top with the rest of the circus crowd. She felt defeated. Her son had seemed to elude her the whole time she and her husband had been at the Cirque. All she wanted was to see her boy again, talk to him, hug him like she hadn't in four years. She sat down with her husband on one of the metal benches. Her knee bounced rapidly up and down, a reflection of her growing anxiety. She took a deep breath and tried to slow her thumping heart.

"Five minutes until show time!" she heard an excited child exclaim behind her. Layla felt fear rise in her throat. Did Blaine perform in this circus? What was his act? Was it  _dangerous_? Her hands began to shake.

"Layla.  _Layla_ ," she heard her husband say in her ear. She felt warm hands close around hers. "Layla, calm down. Everything is going to be fine." Charles squeezed his wife's hands, trying to ease her mind. Layla's brown eyes flicked up to meet his. She visibly exhaled and buried her face in her husband's shoulder.

"What if his act is dangerous?" she asked, listening to Charles's steady heartbeat. "What if he hurts himself?" Charles chuckled and kissed Layla's forehead.

"If it was dangerous, he'd probably have hurt himself a long time ago. Now just calm down and enjoy the show, okay? If we see him, we'll try to approach him after the show." Layla nodded and brought herself up, still holding hands with her husband. Suddenly the crowd became quiet as a man in a red jacket and top hat came out. It was beginning.

 

 

Blaine approached Kurt as the aerialist shuffled to get in the line-up. Kurt's eyes lit up at the sight of Blaine coming towards him.

"Hi," he said with a smile.

"Hi," Blaine said, grinning. "Good luck out there. I'll be in the ring operating the ropes for the trapeze and the silks. Try to be safe, okay?" Kurt laughed and gave Blaine a thumbs up.

"Okay, but make sure the silk doesn't fall. Bruises are not a good look on me," Kurt said. Blaine winked and gave Kurt a pat on the shoulder before someone shouted to get a move on, it was show time.

"Bye," Kurt said with a wave before disappearing into the ring. Blaine quietly slipped out a side opening so he could get to the ropes without being seen. As soon as he stepped out, his eardrums rung with the deafening sound of applause for the performers. His heart ached as he wished, just once, that could be for him as he moved to the machine that hoisted the ropes. He took a seat in a chair and observed his friends, a spectator just like everyone else.

 

 

Kurt felt like he could do this forever. The screaming and applause just for being there made his heart burst with joy. He waved enthusiastically to the crowd, winking at a cute little girl sitting in the front row. She squealed excitedly and waved back, her other hand clutching an enormous pink teddy bear. Kurt smiled and continued to greet the rest of the audience, high off of adrenaline.

As he scrambled back into the back with everyone else, Kurt took a great breath, enjoying the tingly feeling in his veins. He couldn't wait to get out there an actually perform.

 

 

Layla was confused as the circus performers paraded around the ring. Her curly-haired boy was nowhere in sight. She scanned over every boy, the one with the mohawk, the freakishly tall one, the Asian, the one with nice hair, none of them were Blaine. She looked at Charles, who seemed to be thinking the same thing she was. Where was their boy?

 

 

Blaine reclined after Mike and Tina performed. He didn't really have to do anything else until the final act, so he just sat back and watched. He watched as Rachel and Sam came into the ring, Sam with his juggling tennis balls and Rachel on a...unicycle? Blaine laughed. Rachel seemed to do something different every time she performed. Talk about an overachiever.

Each act went by pretty fast, well except for Puck and Quinn's, they seemed to not want to leave. But it was finally time for the final act after almost an hour. Blaine stood up from his chair and got ready to hoist the silks.

 

 

Mike grinned at Kurt before they heard Will finish their intro, reminding the audience to please not take pictures and to enjoy the final act. Kurt looked to Santana and Brittany and smiled before they all entered into the center ring. They could feel the tension in the air, the kind of tension that came from the feeling of excitement and foreboding wrapping themselves together. Kurt looked over in Blaine's direction and gave a smile before hearing the music begin. Automatically the smile left Kurt's face, replaced with afierce determination.

 

 

Layla was thoroughly enjoying herself. She hadn't been to the circus since Blaine was little. She was excited to watch the aerialists; they always were her favorite part of the show as well as her son's. She remembered Blaine when he was six years old, looking at her and saying that he wanted to grow up to do that, to be an aerialist. She had just laughed and ruffled his hair.

She observed the male aerialist to her left, the one with the nice hair. He seemed to be looking at someone. She followed his gaze to the large machine that operated the ropes that hoisted the trapeze and the silks. Her brown eyes fell into a mop of curly hair. She gasped.

"I found him," she said, staring at the boy she'd not seen nor heard from in four years. He looked so mature, so much like her and his father. Charles looked over to their son and squeezed his wife's hand. They found him.

 

 

Kurt was beautiful. That's all there was to it. He was an angel is disguise. Blaine felt his heart swell to the sound of the music and the movements of the aerialists. They were beautiful. He suddenly felt excited about Kurt's offer to teach him. He wanted nothing more than to be that beautiful. To be that flawless.

 

 

Kurt felt invincible, moving like a swan, graceful in the air. He let the music overwhelm him, mold him into its interpretation. He let it meld with his soul and overtake him with emotion as he moved with the fabric and his fellow aerialists. Nothing could stop him.

 

 

Layla finally averted her eyes to watch the act. The aerialists were good, really good- especially the boy with the nice hair. He was the most graceful of them all. He seemed flawless, from his appearance to his movements. His porcelain skin glowed in the blue and white light that was projected onto them, catching the jewels on his face and making them sparkle like fish scales in the sunlight.

The music was haunting and increased in drama as the act continued on. All of the aerialists were suddenly on the silks, moving together dangerously and yet like it was nothing to them. It seemed absolutely flawless until there was a flash from a camera and she noticed the boy with the nice hair's grip slip just slightly. Her heart skipped a beat as she feared for the boy's safety.

 

 

Kurt's heart jumped as he felt his fingers slip on the silk. He'd done this over a dozen times, why was he slipped up now? He tried to increase his grip as he felt Brittany move underneath him, but there was a blinding light that made dots swim in front of his vision. Suddenly his fingertips slipped and his heart stopped.

 

 

The world moved in slow motion. There was a collective gasp throughout the circus tent as Kurt was suddenly pulled down from the top of the silk by gravity. Blaine barely had time to register what was going on before he saw Kurt falling through the air. As the aerialist hit the ground, there was an audible ' _crack_ ' that made the audience scream. Then, it felt like time had sped back up again. In an instant there was a horrified scream, a shout from Will to call 911, a commotion as the crowd moved to get a better look, and the loud thumping of feet and shout of swears as the other performers rushed into the ring. Blaine could barely hear any of it over the loud thumping in his ears, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He moved without a thought, rushing to the trembling body lying on the blue mat in the ring.

 

 

Layla watched as Blaine rushed to the fallen boy. Was that her son's boyfriend? The look on Blaine's face was one of pure horror. It broke her heart.

 

 

Every single one of Kurt's senses was pain. He felt pain. He heard the rush of blood in his ears. He saw only blinding white light, he tasted blood in his mouth, he smelled the iron of his blood as it flowed out of his nose. He could barely feel the touch of the figure that knelt beside him, hear the nonsensical words uttered from their mouth, see their horrified face that was mere inches from his own, taste the salty tears that fell from their hazel eyes, smell the fear that rolled off of their body. Everything was pain.

 

 

Blaine knelt beside Kurt, fingers brushing against the boy's face. he'd tried to pick Kurt up without thinking, but someone had yelled not to move him, so he just kneeled there, powerless. Kurt's left arm was clearly broken and blood trickled out of his nose and from his bottom lip where he had bitten it when he hit the ground. There seemed to be no damage anywhere else, but Kurt's face was contorted in pain. Blaine muttered words of comfort, moving as close to Kurt as he could. He wasn't sure if he was trying to comfort Kurt or himself, but he needed to comfort someone.

Blaine barely noticed when EMTs rushed into the big top to take Kurt to the hospital, or when he asked Will if he could go with them. The only thing he noticed was Kurt.

 

 

The last thing Layla saw of her son was when he leaped into the ambulance with the injured aerialist with the Ringmaster before it switched on its sirens and sped off into the night.

 


	16. Chapter 16

The circus had never been this quiet. All of the happiness and color seemed to have been sucked out of the world. The bright colors seemed dull, the singing birds sounded melancholy. After the events of the night two days previous, no one wanted to be cheerful. Even the sky was ashen and lifeless, clouds hanging like a canopy of mixed emotions manifesting themselves as water vapor.

Will declared that the show must go on despite Kurt's injury, much to everyone's protests. He felt just as much for the boy as everyone else, but they had a job to do. After spreading the word that the "male aerialist who took a tremendous fall" was alright, the Ringmaster set out to finish out the week without Kurt in the final act

Said Ringmaster was currently strolling around his beloved circus, saddened at what had befallen it. He growled to himself as he remembered the  _idiot_   that decided to take a picture in the middle of the aerial performance. Will was most definitely going to sue the pants off of them. You can imagine what happened after Kurt was taken away. Will couldn't erase the look of horror that had seemed permanently fixed on Blaine's face and the shock that had fallen over the crowd. Kurt had looked like a broken china doll. But now both he and Blaine were safe and sound back in the Cirque, after much string-pulling from Will, who had to work his tail off trying to get Kurt released from the hospital without any questions concerning family or the fact that he looked like "that one kid that had disappeared from Lima awhile back". After all, missing teens always made the front page of the news. He was exhausted, to say the least.

His eyes scanned over the once colorful tents. He could hear hushed conversations going on inside them, so quiet that if someone were to speak in normal voice the peace, if you could call it that, would shatter into a million pieces. Will almost jumped out of his skin when he heard someone behind him speak.

"Excuse me."

 

 

Meanwhile, Kurt sat alone on his cot, staring at the wall of his tent. His left arm was in an artfully purple cast and was held up in a blue sling that rubbed against the back of his neck. His arm felt heavy and awkward against his chest. In his right hand, resting on the bed, he held Pavarotti, whom he'd previously been looking at, trying to find answers to the world's problems. Beside Kurt's hand sat flowers and cards, all made by members of the Cirque. There were flowers of every color and type, from daffodils to daisies and amazingly-dyed roses that were every color of the rainbow. Those were Mercedes's doing of course. Kurt had decided that they were his favorite, though the strange purple flowers with yellow tips from Brittany came in a close second.

Kurt was pissed. He was pissed at the idiot that flashed the camera, pissed at himself for falling, and pissed at the world for letting it happen. He was also worried, more for Blaine than himself. Kurt had passed out on the way to the hospital, but when he woke up on those papery, sanitized sheets under glaring fluorescent light, Blaine sat beside him looking like the end of the world had come.

Kurt, still out of it, had just stared at Blaine, wondering why he looked so scared, why his arm hurt so fucking much, and why his mouth tasted like copper. Then it had all hit him at once: the flash, the lost grip, the fall, and then blackness. Kurt jerked immediately out of his bed, scared to death until a warm, calloused hand had gripped his shoulder, gently but firmly pressing him back down onto the hospital bed. Hazel eyes had stared down at him, concerned yet comforting and lit up with relief that rolled off Blaine's body.

"You're okay," Blaine said simply and breathlessly, taking Kurt's hand in his, holding Kurt's arm. Kurt could feel Blaine's pulse race through his wrist that pressed against his fingertips. Before Kurt could say anything, a doctor came into the room and Kurt didn't see Blaine again until the day he left the hospital.

Kurt exhaled loudly as he felt tears fill his eyes. He was so  _tired_  of crying, but he was just so frustrated. Now he couldn't perform. He was stuck, unable to do anything but be a useless figure. Who knew how long it would be before he could get up on the silks again. Why did he ever run away in the first place? If he'd stayed home, he wouldn't be sitting alone right now, useless, with a broken arm, feeling lost.

There was a rustle outside, the sound of feet scuffing in the grass. The flap of Kurt's tent swayed before Blaine poked his head in tentatively. Kurt could tell by Blaine's eyes that Blaine was trying to gauze whether he'd be welcome or not, considering Kurt's recent emotional shift.

"C'mon in," Kurt said with a sigh, not unkindly, scooting over in his cot to make room. Blaine gave a small, awkward smile before ducking inside, swiftly moving to Kurt's side. The cot dipped with the added weight, throwing Kurt off balance a little.

"How are you?" Blaine asked, looking at Kurt's face. Kurt shrugged, just slightly, and looked ahead of him.

"As okay as I can be at the moment," Kurt said, squeezing Pavarotti him his hand. "I'm just thinking." Blaine looked from the little yellow bird to Kurt, worry creasing his eyebrows.

"About what?" he asked, shifting his torso to face Kurt. Kurt swallowed and looked up, letting out a shaky breath.

"I was just thinking about why I ever joined the circus," Kurt said while shaking his head, eyes gleaming. He continued to cast his eyes upward, as if the answer would come from the heavens and rip through the ceiling of his tent to enlighten him. He let out an exasperated breath. "It's just," he said. "Whenever something in my life starts to go right, something else has to go and screw it up. Now look at me, I'm just as flightless as this stupid bird!" Kurt stomped his feet on the ground and stood up, throwing Pavarotti across the tent. The little yellow bird bounced off the cloth wall of the tent and came to rest on the ground.

Blaine just looked up at Kurt from his seat on the cot, heart aching at the anguish and pain that contorted Kurt's features. His entire face was red with anger, his forehead furrowed, his eyes threatening tears. Kurt visibly shook. It was a scary sight to behold. Blaine finally stood up, slowly, and walked across the tent. He bent down and scooped up Pavarotti into his hand, stroking the little bird in his palm. He looked over at Kurt, who followed him with lightning blue eyes.

"Pavarotti doesn't fly," Blaine said, cradling the small bird in his hand. He approached Kurt, stopping directly in front of the taller teen. He grasped Kurt's right hand in his own and placed Pavarotti there, closing Kurt's elegant fingers around the figure. "But you do, Kurt. You fly through the air with such grace and beauty. You're an inspiration, Kurt." Blue eyes stared at Blaine, barely hidden emotion shining behind their depths.

"But I can't fly, Blaine," Kurt said, his voice wavering. Tears finally broke free and rolled gently down flushed cheeks. "My arm is broken. I can't fly." Kurt let out a choked sob, bringing the hand that clutched Pavarotti to his lips, trying to stifle the sound. Blaine's throat constricted as he watched Kurt just slowly break in front of him. Tears trailed down Kurt's face, dripping down his chin. Blaine wiped them away with his thumbs, cradling Kurt's face in his hands. Kurt stared into his eyes, his own containing a million emotions: anger, sadness, fear, confusion, and hope. Blaine stared deep into Kurt's eyes, sending silent promises that everything was going to be okay.

Tentatively, Blaine wrapped his arms around the other boy's shoulders, holding him close. He could hear a sob escape Kurt's lips as he buried his face into Blaine's shoulder, finally letting go completely. Kurt wrapped his unbroken arm around Blaine, holding him tight. Hot tears wet Blaine's neck, but he didn't care.

Blaine held Kurt tighter, inhaling sharply. Why did all of these bad things have to happen to such an innocent person? What did Kurt ever do to deserve all of these terrible things that have made his life hell?

Kurt just buried his face closer to Blaine, until all of his senses we consumed with the raven-haired boy and not his own despair. They stood there for minutes, Kurt's sobs decreasing in volume and frequency as Blaine just softly rubbed circles in Kurt's back, cooing into the boy's ear. Kurt slowly removed his face, wet with tears, from Blaine's shoulder. He cautiously looked at Blaine, who was just reading him with his eyes. Blaine licked his lips and moved his face closer to Kurt's to plant a soft kiss on Kurt's forehead.

"You're going to be okay," Blaine said, running a hand through Kurt's hair to remove it out of his face. "Your arm will heal and then you'll be back to your amazing self. And then you can teach me." Kurt's eyes lit up the tiniest bit. And he smiled.

"You'll actually let me teach you?" he asked. Blaine shrugged and smiled.

"I guess so. If anyone can teach me, it'd be you." Kurt rolled his eyes and sniffled, bringing his hand up to rub his nose. Blaine's arms were still around him and it suddenly became very, very hot. Kurt could feel the heat radiating off of Blaine, but the curly haired boy seemed to be content where he was. Blaine was staring at him with a strange kind of intensity that made Kurt slightly uncomfortable, but more-so excited. The hand that had brushed Kurt's hair out of his face came to rest on Kurt's cheek, and the other arm wound around Kurt's waist to where Blaine's hand was on the small of Kurt's back, pressing only slightly. Kurt gulped and kept his arm on Blaine's shoulder, unsure of what to do.

The atmosphere of the tent became suffocating and Kurt was hyper-aware of everything going on around him: the breeze he heard outside, the cast around his broken arm, the tingling of what felt like electricity on his skin, the warm hand that was lightly caressing his cheek. Blaine moved his face so close to Kurt's that their foreheads touched. Kurt could feel Blaine's breath before his lips came to lightly touch Kurt's in a kiss that almost wasn't, just close enough to brush lips against lips. Kurt moved his hand up Blaine's neck to bury his fingers in Blaine's curls, bringing their lips closer until Blaine sharply pulled away, leaving Kurt standing with his hand still in the air where Blaine's head was, confused and blissed out at the same time.

"I'm sorry," Blaine said, wringing his hands together. "I didn't even ask you if I could do that." Kurt blinked and gave a nervous smile to the boy in front of him. He stepped closer to Blaine and reached for his hand, putting it back in its previous position on his cheek. He kept his own and on top of Blaine's as he spoke.

"You didn't need to ask," he said, staring into hazel eyes under dark eyebrows.

"So, this is okay?" Blaine asked, searching for any trace of resistance in Kurt's eyes. He found none.

"Yes its okay," Kurt said with a smile, rubbing his thumb against Blaine's hand affectionately. "I've wanted to kiss you long before this; I just didn't expect the same from you." Blaine closed his eyes and smiled before pulling Kurt close to him, tilting his head to the left before again pressing his lips to Kurt's. They were so soft and warm against his own and Blaine didn't dare move any farther than a closed-mouthed kiss. Every nerve in his body sang and dancing to the beat of his racing heart as his lips pressed against Kurt's. When he pulled away for the second time he brushed his fingers against Kurt's neck, touch as light as a feather gliding across Kurt's pale skin, chuckling at the way it made Kurt shiver.

"I've wanted to do that for awhile," Blaine admitted. "I just didn't want to scare you away. You and I, Kurt, we understand each other so well. I didn't want to jeopardize what we had in case you didn't feel the same way I did." Kurt looked at Blaine ludicrously before breaking into a smile.

"Well, at least we're on the same page now," he said, brushing stray hair from his forehead. Blaine nodded in agreement.

"Yeah." Suddenly there was rustling outside before Mercedes's head popped into the tent.

"Sorry to intrude," she said as the two boys repelled away from each other like two like sides of a magnet, blushing furiously under Mercedes's questioning gaze. "Will wants to talk to you Blaine." The look on her face was solemn and Blaine could tell there was something off. Her eyebrows were furrowed together and her eyes held a secret that Blaine knew he wasn't going to like.

"What is it, Mercedes?" he asked.

"You'll see," she said before her head disappeared from view, escaping before Blaine could ask anything more.


	17. Chapter 17

Layla and Charles Anderson stood awkwardly in the middle of the Cirque de Joie, holding each others' hands like lifelines, afraid to let go lest they be swept away in this strange place. Layla's eyes darted from tent to colorful tent, trying not to make eye contact with any circus folk that walked by them with curious eyes. The Ringmaster, Will, had told them to wait here while one of the members went to find their son. Layla glanced up at the sky, low with clouds that threatened rain.

The events of the night two days previous had left Layla bothered. Not only had she witnessed a fall that could kill a person but she saw her son for the second time in four years. Not once had she seen him happy. Both times he had had an expression of horror on his face. She was afraid that'd be the only expression she'd ever see grace her son's features.

Layla glanced at her husband, who looked just as nervous as she- eyebrows knitted together, forehead crease with worry. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Hazel eyes locked with brown, swimming with emotions. Layla knew how hard this would be for Charles; he hadn't been the most accepting of fathers when Blaine came out. He didn't go into a rage or anything drastic like that, but distanced himself from his son and discreetly tried to force him to do more masculine things in the hopes of "turning him straight". Layla always thought that was one of the reasons Blaine had ran away, but she never held a grudge against her husband.

The wind rustled the leaves on the trees and danced about Layla's hair, making her shiver. That was when she noticed a boy slowly walking towards them.

Blaine.

She sucked in her breath, tightening her hold on her husband's hand. She didn't know whether to stay still or sweep him up in her arms. Layla didn't think she'd be able to move. Her limbs seemed to have locked, paralyzed with uncertainty, joy, and fear. Blaine walked towards them with his hands shoved in his pockets, shoulders hunched forward. He stared at them with hazel eyes under his heavy eyebrows. It wasn't the most promising of expressions. He looked like a timid animal.

Blaine stopped a few feet in front of his parents, opening and closing his mouth a few times as he tried to find the right words to say. He hadn't really planned on what he wanted to say when Will told him his parents were waiting for him by the fortune-telling tent. He was too busy dreading the experience. He finally settled on a simple greeting.

"Hi."

Layla hesitantly stepped forward, letting go of Charles's hand. She stopped only inches away in front of Blaine before throwing her arms around her son, tears welling up in her eyes. Blaine stopped breathing for a moment before wrapping his arms around his mother, holding her tightly as she wept on his shoulder. She smelled just the same as she did four years ago, he noted. He buried his face in her hair, feeling the burn of tears behind his eyelids. Blaine blinked away the moisture in his eyes as he glanced up at his father, who stood awkwardly a few feet away from them, hands in his pockets and scuffing his feet, looking just like his son. Blaine hesitantly held out his arm in invitation. Charles Anderson looked from the arm to his son's face before rushing to his family, holding both his son and his wife close to him, whispering apologies in Blaine's ear for all the things he ever tried to do to change him.

Blaine was overwhelmed with emotion, so much so that when he and his parents finally pulled away from each other he found he couldn't speak, only stare at them and try to decide whether to smile, spout apologies, or demand that they leave. Layla seemed to see Blaine's fighting emotions, so she grabbed his hand and led him to an empty tent that Will had said they could use in order to gain some privacy. Blaine took a seat on one of the fold-out chairs that sat around a table that had a large, glistening crystal ball sitting on top of its velvety, purple tablecloth. Blaine and his parent sat on opposite sides of the tent, unsure of where to begin.

"Blaine," Layla started, voice catching in her throat. She swallowed and fought for the right words. "We want you to come home." Blaine furrowed his brow and crossed his arms across his chest.

"No." It was said with conviction. Layla sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"We miss you, Blaine," she said. "A circus is no place for you. You need to come back and go to school, figure out your future."

"And you think home is the right place for me?" Blaine said heatedly. "The place that tormented me every day of my life? Besides, I like it here. I have friends here. I'm not giving up all of this to go back to my own personal hell." Layla looked to her husband, who looked at Blaine determinedly.

"Blaine, we haven't seen or heard from you in four years. Think about this from our point of view. We're worried about you. We want you to have a good future just like any other parents would," Charles pleaded.

"You didn't seem to care too much when I was being harassed," Blaine said, feeling heat rise up his neck. "I know you're sorry for what you tried to do, but you still didn't try to stop what was happening in town and at school. I just wanted to  _belong_  somewhere. And when the circus came into town, I felt like it was my only escape."

"Is it that boy?" Layla interjected. "Is that why you want to stay? Is he your boyfriend?" Blaine squirmed in his seat. He didn't really know where he and Kurt stood at the moment. He'd just kissed him not twenty minutes ago, but he knew Kurt wasn't the only reason he didn't want to leave.

"It's not just because of Kurt," Blaine said. "I have a place here. I'm important and for the first time in my life, I feel like a part of something. Why can't you just see that and let me be happy?" Blaine glared at his reflection in the crystal ball as Layla sighed and rubbed her eyes. Charles seemed to be in deep thought.

"We  _do_  want you to be happy Blaine," she said. "We're just worried about the day you won't be able to call this place home anymore. What will you do if this circus ever shuts down? Where will you go?" Blaine pulled at his hair as he tried to think of a good answer. He hadn't really thought of life after the Cirque. He didn't want to. He just shrugged as he felt the questioning gaze of his mother.

"I don't know," he said, looking at her. "But I ask that you respect my decision to stay. I'm seventeen, almost an adult. I've made it just fine these past four years. I'm not the same boy that you used to know. I love you guys, but I just  _can't_ go back." Layla's heart dropped as she heard Blaine's voice break. At that moment she knew she couldn't force him to come back to them, no matter how much she wanted him to. Charles seemed to realize this too, taking hold of her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, as if to say "We can't win this one." Layla took a long, deep breath before quickly pulling out a piece of paper and a pen from her purse, scrawling a set of numbers on it in red ink.

"We had our number changed two years ago," she said, holding the paper out for Blaine and she sniffled, trying so hard not to let her composure fall completely. "Even if you won't be with us, please at least call us every once in awhile. I can't bear to lose you again."

Blaine felt his throat tighten as he took the paper from his mother, tucking it safely into his pocket.

"I will," he said softly. "I promise."

"And when you're in town, come by to see us," Charles added. "You can't be making a lot of money here. We at least want to help you play for clothes and whatever it is you kids buy these days." His eyes sparkled with a sad playfulness and Blaine couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and held his hand out. When Charles took his son's hand in his, Blaine pulled him forward into a tight hug. He felt like a little boy holding on tightly to his father, but he hadn't been able to hug him since before he came out a little over four years ago.

"I love you, dad," Blaine said in a choked voice.

"I love you too, son," Charles replied, just as choked up. "And I accept you for everything you are. I'm sorry it took so long." That comment meant more than anything else to Blaine. As they parted Blaine smiled a genuine smile. Layla stood up and stood by Charles, stroking her fingers across Blaine's cheek.

"We both love you, Blaine," she said. "We'll always be thinking about you. Please take care of yourself." With that she gave her son one final hug, trying to commit the feeling to memory. Charles clasped Blaine on the shoulder and smiled. Blaine smiled back at both of them, finally feeling free from the guilt of leaving them when he was thirteen.

"I'll walk you to the car," he said, holding the tent flap open for them. As they stepped out they were greeted with the sight of circus folk scrambling to vacate the vicinity. Tina jumped on Mike's back as they made a quick exit. Arti wheeled himself out of there like a bat out of Hell. Puck stumbled a little over Finn as they tried to run to the nearest hiding spot, knocking over Rachel in the process, who in turn grabbed Sam's ankle and caused him to land face-first into the side of the tent. Quinn yelled for Rachel to "stop her squawking" as she clutched Santana and Brittany's wrists, vainly trying to lead them away from the sight as quickly as possible. Everyone's face was as red as a clown's nose and Blaine couldn't help but laugh at them all.

"You never get any privacy here," he said to his parents as he watched his friends split into several different directions. Layla laughed nervously and Charles shook his head.

"Don't think I'd be able to handle that," he said. Blaine shrugged as he walked over to the white Nissan Altima he knew to be his mother's that was parked under a shady tree.

"They mean well, they're just very curious." As they walked Blaine spotted Will casually leaning against a tree a ways away, watching them from under the brim of his top hat. Blaine nodded once at him, letting him know that everything was okay. Beside Will were Mercedes and Kurt, looking to make sure that their friend was okay. Mercedes and Kurt looked at each other nervously, not understanding why their friend was walking with his parents to the car. Was he leaving them? Blaine waved to them both in reassurance. Layla looked over to see who her son was waving at, eyes falling on the pale, lithe figure of Kurt.

"He's handsome," she whispered in her son's ear. Blaine smiled and kept his eyes on the boy who broke his heart and made it sing at the same time.

"He's more than that, he's beautiful." Layla smiled as she watched her son fall in love with the boy all over again. She grasped Charles's hand in hers, stopping them as they approached the car. Will strolled up to them and began talking to Blaine's parents, leaving Blaine to stand idly by. Mercedes and Kurt walked up to him, looking at him with concern. Mercedes put and hand on Blaine's shoulder as Kurt discreetly slipped his hand in his. Blaine looked up at Kurt with a smile.

"Is everything okay?" Kurt asked worriedly. Blaine turned his gaze to look back at his parents, who were discussing Blaine's life at the Cirque for the past four years. They seemed to be sad, but relieved and adamant to make sure that their son would have the best life he could here. Blaine nodded.

"Yeah, everything is going to be good."

"So you're staying with us?" Mercedes asked, a smile tugging at her lips. Blaine turned so that he faced her and Kurt, putting a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "What would this place ever to without me?" He pulled them both into a hug, suddenly feeling giddy with the relief that he didn't have to worry about ever being jerked away from the Cirque ever again. He was free to stay. Kurt and Mercedes laughed and patted Blaine on the back. As he parted from them he heard Will clear his throat. Blaine turned and looked to his parents, who waited to have their last goodbye from their son. He walked up to them and hugged them one at a time; first his father then his mother.

"We love you," she repeated. "Take care of yourself."

"I love you both, and I will. I have too many people looking out for me," he said. Layla smiled and looked to Charles before she walked to the driver's side, slipping into the seat behind the wheel. Blaine noticed her wipe away tears as she closed the door. Charles gave one last look at Blaine before he opened the door and sat in the leather seat.

As Blaine watched his parents drive away, he felt his heart swell and tighten at the same time and a weight lift from his shoulders. He was thankful for one less thing to worry about, but he was saddened to break his parents' hearts once again. When he turned around he noticed that Mercedes and Will had disappeared, and only Kurt remained, standing a few feet away, watching him with a gauged expression. Blaine walked up to him and just looked into those beautiful blue eyes, rubbing his neck as he felt the tension he'd been carrying around for years drain away from his muscles.

"Are you going to be okay?" Kurt asked. Not "are you okay", because Kurt would be a fool to assume that Blaine was okay after this. But "are you going to be okay", that left room for healing. Blaine nodded and took Kurt's hand in his, surprising Kurt when he leaned in for a sweet, tender kiss. Kurt pressed his lips to Blaine's, savoring how well they fit together and how soft Blaine's lips were. When they pulled away, Kurt licked his lips, savoring the feeling of Blaine's kiss.

"C'mon," Blaine said, tugging Kurt's hand. "Let's get something to eat. I'll help you get your food if, you want." Kurt looked down to his broken arm, briefly letting himself wallow in grief before sadly smiling at Blaine.

"I'd like that." Blaine smiled and they walked away, hand in hand.


	18. Chapter 18

Everything was bathed in hues of pink and purple as the sun lowered itself in the sky. As the day had progressed, rain had poured from the heavy clouds. Now that it was becoming evening, the clouds had moved on, carrying their summer showers onward to the next town. The air smelled earthy and alive. The grass was slick with water and glistened in the final light of the sun. Mist rolled on the ground in herds, clinging to trees and fields. As it rolled into the Cirque de Joie it clustered around strings of lights, causing them to look otherworldly and casting a mystical glow around the already mysterious circus.

Blaine and Kurt walked hand in hand around the colorful tents as patrons began to file in; the previous weather no match for their curiosity. Blaine had watched Kurt's demeanor steadily fall throughout the day. The sparkle in his eyes had faded while his sarcasm grew, a sure sign that he was in a foul mood. But Blaine couldn't blame him. He'd be pissed too if he couldn't perform due to an injury. They had discussed it during lunch, and Kurt had decided to support his friends and sit in the stands as part of the audience. It killed Blaine that he couldn't be there with him, but he was working the lights tonight.

"Are you sure you want to watch?" Blaine asked for the fifth time that day. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you missed it. I can only imagine how painful it's going to be for you." Kurt sighed and let go of Blaine's hand to run his fingers through his hair, pushing it off of his forehead.

"Yes I'm sure. What else would I do, brood in my tent? You know how I can get when left to my own devices." Blaine thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

"You're right. I'm just worried about you." Kurt snorted.

"As cute and endearing as that is, you don't need to worry. I'm going to be just fine." Blaine grinned and stopped walking, turning to face Kurt.

"You think I'm cute?" he asked cheekily. Kurt rolled his eyes but felt the tug of a smile on the corners of his lips.

"As a fluffy little puppy," he said, shoving Blaine weakly with his hand. Blaine chuckled and brushed Kurt's cheek with his fingertips.

"Well, you're gorgeous," Blaine said, looked at Kurt under his dark lashes. Kurt blushed and shook his head.

"That's not fair," he said, kissing Blaine on the tip of his nose. "You know you're so much more than just cute." Blaine laughed and intertwined his fingers with Kurt's, bringing Kurt's hand up to his lips to kiss his knuckles.

"We're going to be one of those sickeningly sweet couples that call each other adorable every five minutes aren't we?" Kurt laughed and shivered as Blaine's kisses sent a shot of sensation through him. Blaine admired how Kurt looked in the pink light of the sunset, making him look like an ethereal elf among the glowing lights and swirling mist.

"Probably, but I don't mind," Kurt said, giving Blaine's hand a squeeze before they began walking again, dodging through parents, small children, older couples and teenagers. "It's nice to have someone tell you you're attractive every once in awhile."

"Hey," Blaine said, stopping them for a second time. He brought his hand up to cup Kurt's cheek, stroking it with his thumb. "You're beautiful Kurt, never think otherwise." And with that Blaine leaned in and pressed his lips against Kurt's in a chaste kiss. Kurt let his eyes fall shut and savor the moment before pulling away, eyes darting around to see if anyone was watching them. They seemed to be unnoticed as patrons played games and bought sugary sweets. It felt nice. He looked back and Blaine and smiled, kissing him on the cheek before they heard the announcement that the main show was to start in five minutes.

"Gotta go. See you after the show?" Blaine asked, looking at Kurt worriedly. Kurt bit his lip and sighed.

"Yeah. I'm gonna hang out here until the show actually starts." Blaine gave Kurt a skeptical look before replacing it with one of adoration, kissing him on the forehead before darting away to do one last minute set up on the lights. Kurt looked after him with longing, suddenly feeling so utterly alone.

All of his friends would be in the back of the tent at this moment, doing last minute costume fixes, touching up make-up, and grabbing props. Yet, he's outside of the tent, alone, doing nothing but standing awkwardly amongst all of these people he didn't know. If he felt invincible up on the silks, he felt utterly human on the ground. He knew he could probably go hang out in the back, talk to his friends as they waited to perform, but he knew that'd hurt more than isolating himself from it.

With a sigh he walked up to a concession stand and asked for a cotton candy from a girl he thought he knew to be Lauren, who gave him a sympathetic look before handing him the pink cloud of fluff. The soft spun sugar tickled his nose as he munched on it, slightly annoyed that he couldn't just pull it apart and stick it in his mouth like he usually did. As he dodged through the crowd of people who hadn't already gone to find a good seat in the Big Top, he heard a bell ring, signaling the start of the show. Suddenly everyone started herding towards the tent and Kurt had to quickly side-step his way out of the fray so he wouldn't be knocked over. He growled in aggravation, muttering a few choice words before joining the slower people in the back of the throng.

When he stepped inside the red and yellow tent, he decided to grab a seat close to the door. Conveniently enough there was an open spot on the end of the bottom stand next to a rather old looking man. Kurt politely asked if he could sit there, and when the only reply was a gruff "hm", he decided that must be grumpy old person for "Sure, make yourself at home!" and sat as close to the edge of the seat as possible. It was going to be a long show.

When Will finally came out in his glittering suit Kurt laughed a little, only ever seeing this site from an audience standpoint once before, when he first came to the Cirque de Joie. He had watched the show before he approached Will afterwards, pleading for him to let him into the Cirque family. Will looked rather ridiculous, but very theatrical. The audience seemed to like it well enough. Kurt was very much amused until Will announced that one of the aerialists would not be performing tonight due to an injury caused by a careless audience member. Will warned the audience that if they attempted any flash photography whatsoever, brash action would be taken immediately. Kurt squirmed uncomfortably in his seat and felt his heart drop as Will announced for the performers to come out.

Everyone had put on their most cheerful face possible. Kurt's eyes darted to the light booth that was set up on the other side of the tent, but couldn't see Blaine in the darkness of the corner. The spotlights followed the performers in their parade. Kurt frowned as he watched Mike, Santana and Brittany, dying to be able to walk along and wave with them. His sadness subsided after they all left and the acts began. It was kind of nice to watch all of them from the stands.

He laughed at the clowns and gasped at the trapeze artists. Kurt was honestly enjoying himself until the final act crept up on him like the cold hand of death.

"Give it up for the Aerialists of the Cirque de Joie!" Will exclaimed. When Mike, Santana, and Brittany came out, it wasn't to Bolero from Moulin Rouge. It was a more up-beat, pop sounding song, but Kurt couldn't stand to watch. His eyes followed Mike's every movement. Why couldn't that be him?

Kurt gritted his teeth, feeling the urge to leave the tent. As he stood up he noticed the old man had fallen asleep beside him. For some reason that pissed him off even more and he stormed outside, momentarily blinded by the lights that were strung high above him and in front of him.

He stomped his way to the clearing towards the tents. As he made his way down a small hill he felt his foot give way under the slick grass. Kurt went down, butt hitting painfully on the hard ground. Kurt groaned and just sat there, wrapping his unbroken arm around his knees and he drew them up to his chest. He cursed the man with the camera that made him fall as he sat in near silence, the only sounds the distant music from the Big Top and the crickets as they serenaded all who would listen in the black night.

"Just wait until your arm heals," he said to himself. "Then you'll be back up there. And you get to teach Blaine! How awesome is that?" The thought of Blaine made Kurt feel a little better, his angst replacing itself with giddiness as he thought of himself having a boyfriend. A boyfriend! Kurt smiled to himself and slowly stood up; making sure his feet wouldn't slip again. He was sure that wet grass had a vengeance against him.

More slowly this time, Kurt walked his way over to his tent. He debated whether to just go to bed despite the early hour, but thought against it when he remembered that he agreed that he'd see Blaine after the show. So, instead, he walked over to a rather large tree and leaned against it, letting his mind wander as it wished.

Kurt enjoyed the slight wind that blew moisture onto his face and arms, cooling the flush that burned his neck and his cheeks. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of wet earth and rain. It was really kind of nice out here, and it was nice to just stand outside and breathe. It was almost meditative, and Kurt didn't even notice when he had closed his eyes and leaned his head against the tree's trunk.

Kurt didn't know how long he had stayed like that, but one moment he was standing alone and the next a strong arm had snaked around his waist, pulling him against a warm chest as Blaine laid his chin on Kurt's shoulder. They just stood like that for a moment, Blaine's hot breath tickling Kurt neck and Kurt just breathing until Blaine spoke softly in Kurt's ear.

"I couldn't find you after the show. Are you alright?" Kurt turned his head in Blaine's general direction.

"I was a little overwhelmed during the aerial act. But I'm alright now, I promise." Blaine kissed the bare expanse of skin that was both shoulder and neck. Kurt shivered and something warm hummed pleasantly in his stomach. He slowly turned around to face Blaine.

"Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything," Blaine said with furrowed brow. His hair was illuminated by the light of the circus that sat yards away, creating the illusion of a halo. Kurt chuckled at the appropriateness of it. Blaine cocked his head to the side curiously.

"I know I can," Kurt said, not justifying his amusement. "And you can trust me when I say I'm fine. I let myself get sad but I know I'll be back up there soon." In response, Blaine kissed Kurt full on the mouth, hand sliding to rest at the base of Kurt's neck. It was a much more forceful kiss than those they had traded in the past few hours since the first kiss and Kurt couldn't help but let out a small moan at the intensity.

"What was that for?" Kurt said breathlessly when Blaine pulled away.

"To make sure you knew there's someone here for you," Blaine said, stroking Kurt's cheek with his knuckle. Kurt smiled and pulled Blaine into a hug, inhaling the warm, masculine scent that was Blaine.

"Thank you," he said, holding Blaine close to him with his right arm. "I hope you know there's someone here for you too." Blaine laughed and pulled away enough to look at Kurt's face.

"Duh," he said. Kurt grinned and shook his head.

"So, now what?" Kurt asked. Blaine looked behind him at the circus, which was shutting down all of its lights one by one, soon leaving the two boys in almost-darkness. Now the only light were the lanterns that illuminated a make-shift path to the sleeping tents and the moonlight that was trying to peak out from behind the drifting clouds that were left behind from the storm.

"Well, I actually wanted to show you something," Blaine said mysteriously. Kurt raised an eyebrow, not sure if Blaine was being facetious or not.

"Like what?" Blaine shook his head.

"It's a surprise. But we'll have to do just a little bit of walking. I promise it's worth it." Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Okay, but if I fall, you better catch me," he said. Blaine slipped his hand in Kurt's, squeezing it tight.

"Of course," he said, starting to lead them away from the tree. "Of course."

Blaine led Kurt farther and farther away from the Cirque, never once doubting where he was going. He could tell Kurt was starting to wonder though, but he kept silent, letting Blaine weave them between trees, of which were slowly dwindling as they progressed. Kurt focused on Blaine warm hand around his and trying not to fall. The moon kept hiding herself behind clouds, leaving them blind as bats for moments at a time. Suddenly Blaine stopped their trek. Kurt thought he saw something flash in the distance, but Blaine stepped in front of him, blocking his view.

"Close your eyes," he said softly. Kurt felt reluctant to blind himself even further.

"Seriously?" he asked, failing to hide his skepticism in his voice. Blaine cupped Kurt's cheek with his hand.

"Trust me." Kurt felt himself melt and his eyes flutter shut. Now Blaine was his only guide. He unconsciously gripped Blaine's hand harder. Blaine smiled as he led them to a small clearing, letting his eyes wander on the spectacle he wanted to show Kurt before he reluctantly let go of Kurt's hand.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked uncertainly, voice shaking nervously. Blaine walked to stand behind Kurt, pulling his hands on Kurt's shoulders. He felt Kurt's muscles relax under his hands. Blaine looked up at the sky. The moon had shown herself once again, but a rather large cloud was drifting her way. Blaine waited until she was gone once more before bringing his lips close to Kurt's ear.

"Okay, open your eyes." Slowly, Kurt raised his eyelids and gasped.

It looked like a thousand camera flashes going off at intervals all around the small clearing. They illuminated the pitch black night, appearing like lightning bouncing from tree to tree. Kurt squinted at the sudden brightness, marveling at its beauty. The flashes came from the tops of trees that rimmed the clearing and behind the tall grass that tickled Kurt's arms. Kurt had never seen anything like it. He felt a shiver run up his spine and goose bumps break out across his flesh.

"Fireflies," Blaine explained. "Thousands of them. I found this clearing about three years before I joined the circus- when I still lived with my parents. It was a night just like this. I'd never see anything like it in my life. I've been coming here every year since." Blaine moved his arms to wrap them around Kurt's waist. "What do you think?" Kurt opened and closed his mouth a few times, forgetting how to speak.

"It's amazing," he said, keeping his eyes on the sight. He couldn't believe it was fireflies doing this. They were such small things, but together they created something huge- something amazing. The couple stood in silence as they both watched the flashing light. Kurt's eyes shone with awe as he watched. As Kurt looked at the fireflies, Blaine spent his time looking at Kurt, admiring the smile that stretched across his face, his wondrous eyes shining under his long lashes. He felt proud that his plan was a success.

"Blaine, why were you all the way out here when you were ten?" Kurt suddenly asked. Blaine blinked and pulled himself out of his trance of staring at Kurt. He took a deep breath and took his hands off of Kurt's shoulders.

"To get away," Blaine said. "You know, I may not have come out to my parents until I was thirteen, but I always felt distant from them. So sometimes I'd sneak out of my room at night and just go walk. Thinking back to it I was a pretty stupid kid for walking around all by myself, but I never ran into any trouble. Anyway, I guess I found a short cut through the woods and found this clearing. You know, town isn't really that far away from here. The road just makes it seem like a fifteen minute drive. Kids used to go through these woods all the time to get to the circus." Kurt just watched Blaine's eyes as he talked, noticing how distant they became whenever he spoke about his past.

"Anyway, I found this place and the fireflies were doing exactly what they're doing now. Later, when I figured out I liked boys, I promised myself that if I were ever lucky enough to get a boyfriend," Kurt blushed. "I'd bring him here. So here we are." Kurt smiled and laced his fingers with Blaine's.

"Thank you for bringing me here," he said. "It's beautiful." Blaine smiled and kissed Kurt on the cheek. He could feel Kurt tremble under his touch.

"It's probably time to go. You're freezing!" Blaine said, noticing the goose bumps on Kurt's arms that weren't from experiencing the wonder he had earlier. Kurt sighed.

"Fine." They both took one last look at the light of the fireflies before Blaine began to lead them back towards the Cirque.

"By the way Kurt, are you aware that you have a giant grass stain on your butt?"

"Shut up, Blaine."


	19. Chapter 19

Kurt was sure of two things.

The first was that he was sure he'd never seen so many different colored sharpies in his life.

The second was that he was sure he was getting high off of the fumes.

Kurt had come to these two realizations the moment he sat down with Blaine for breakfast the morning after Blaine took him to see the fireflies. As soon as his butt made contact with the seat, he had been  _swarmed_  by circus members asking to sign his cast. Kurt had never been one to understand why people had such a fascination for signing people's casts, but to be fair, he'd never broken his arm before despite all of the years he'd been doing gymnastics and aerial stunts.

So, while Blaine watched at a safe distance with an absolutely infuriating smirk on his face, Kurt let each member scrawl all over his arm, one by one.

The first had been Mercedes with a fabulous gold Sharpie.

_I hope your arm heals soon! I miss watching your mad skills on those silks! Love you White Boy!_

_XOXO –'Cedes._

After her had been Mike, Santana and Brittany in black, metallic purple and yellow that barely showed up on the purple cast.

_Better get well soon man! I can't be the only guy up there!_

_-Mike_

_Hope your arm heals soon so you can get your sex on with Blaine ;) Let me know what it's like to bang a hobbit._

_-Santana_

_This marker smells like a banana. Get well soon! I miss performing with you._

_-Brittany :)_

After them had been Tina, Rachel, Quinn, Puck, Artie and Finn in various colors ranging from blue, gold, metallic pink, green, and metallic orange to a simple black.

_I hope your arm heals fast! Mike doesn't like being up there with Brittany and Santana alone._

_-Tina_

_Feel better Kurt! You're amazing up there, just not as amazing as me ;)_

_-Rachel_

Rachel had signed hers with a large gold star.

_I hope you heal fast, Kurt. You're amazing to watch up there._

_-Quinn_

_Man, get well soon! Mike looks like a pimp out there._

_-Puck_

_Hope you're back in the silks soon, dawg._

_-Artie_

_Get well soon._

_-Finn._

"Ah, Finn. Eloquent as always," Kurt said once everyone had left to sit at their own tables, leaving Kurt to rake his eyes across his cast, face turning beet red when he read Santana's message. Blaine scooted closer to Kurt from his side of the table to read the messages everyone had left, discreetly pulling out a fine-tipped silver Sharpie from his back pocket.

"Any room left for me on there?" he asked with a laugh, taking in Kurt's adorably flustered appearance. He brandished the skinny Sharpie, waving it in front of Kurt's face. Kurt rotated his arm to find a spot, settling on the expanse of purple that sat right over the top of his hand. Blaine held Kurt's arm with one hand and began to write with the other.

_As soon as this cast is off it's you, me, and those silks up there._

_-Blaine_

Blaine drew a tiny heart by his name and blew on his words to make the ink dry faster. Kurt shivered and read the message with a smile. When Blaine withdrew his other hand from the cast Kurt looked at him and shook his head.

"You didn't have to blow on it- it's a quick-dry." Suddenly the both heard a voice from across the tent that could only be Santana's.

" _That's_  what he said!" Kurt groaned and stabbed a piece of melon with his fork, vainly trying to cut it into pieces. Blaine just laughed and reached across the table to cut up Kurt's melon and cantaloupe for him. Kurt just sat and mock-glared at Blaine as he cut each pieces into small, bite-sized bits and pushed the plate back to Kurt. Kurt looked at him once before averting his eyes to his plate and puncturing a piece of honeydew with his fork, placing it in his mouth.

"So, I was thinking," Blaine said as he watched Kurt eat his breakfast. "Since you're going to teach me how to do silks, how about I teach you how to work some of the machinery around the circus while your arm is healing? That way you can help me out during the performances instead of having to sit in the audience." Kurt swallowed and looked at Blaine with a raised eyebrow.

"Sounds like fun," he said, smiling crookedly. "Then I could be a man of many talents!" Kurt stuck his nose up and Blaine chuckled and took a sip of his coffee, wincing as he burned his tongue.

"Cool, so tonight I'm doing lights again. You can sit with me at the control panel and watch me work my magic." Kurt blushed, popping another piece of honeydew into his mouth before he could say something stupid. Blaine laughed and stole a piece of melon from Kurt's plate. Suddenly, there was a loud clap of thunder that shook the ground beneath them, followed by flash of light that illuminated the world outside and cast tall shadows of trees on the tent. Kurt heard Tina squeal and Puck go " _What the hell?_ " Will ran into the tent, eyes wide.

"There's a pretty big storm rolling in," he said, eyes scanning over the startled circus members. "We may have to cancel the show tonight." There was a chorus of groans.

"Aw, c'mon!" Finn protested. "That's a whole day's pay that we don't get!"

"I'm sorry Finn," Will said. "But if you look at the radar it looks like it's going to hit around six o'clock, and they're expecting it to persist all night. I'm sorry everyone." With that Will left the tent, leaving everyone to grumble and complain.

"That sucks," Kurt said, looking at Blaine.

"Yeah," Blaine said, grimacing. "I hate it when we have to cancel shows. All of us depend on that money and there isn't a single person who wants to give up a night of performing." Kurt frowned and sighed, rising from his seat with his empty plate in his hand. All they could do was wait and see if the storm would come.

 

 

The wind whistled against the trees as the rained poured down in sheets. Lightning danced across the sky and thunder echoed across the land, sounding like a timpanist beating his drums to the heavens. Everyone who worked for the circus was huddled in the big top- the sturdiest structure they had. They all divided up on groups and spoke in whispers, wincing whenever the tent would sway back and forth. The performers had all situated themselves in a circle in the center ring, huddled under blankets around a large, glowing lantern. Kurt was cuddled up to Blaine, body shaking due to the cold air brought on by the storm. Blaine wrapped their blanket tighter around them, overly worried that Kurt could get sick from the weather.

"Well, this is exciting," Santana said sarcastically as she sat behind Brittany on top of the red painted ring, braiding the blonde's hair.

"What would you like to do then, Santana?" Quinn asked harshly, head resting on Finn's shoulder as she quietly read one of her favorite novels, Wicked. Rachel gave a death glare from across the circle where she sat next to Mercedes, who was meticulously weaving a bracelet. Santana rolled her eyes and finished her French braid in Brittany's hair, trying it off with a hair tie.

"All I know is that we needs to get our entertainment on up in here or I'm going to die of boredom, or turn into Rachel." Rachel scowled.

"You know, when I was still living at home we used to all get together in the living room during a storm and watch movies," Mercedes said wistfully, leaning back on the ring.

"We can't really watch a movie in here, 'Cedes," Blaine said regretfully. It'd be nice to be able to curl up and watch a movie right now.

"I know," Mercedes said with a frown. "Just wishful thinking I guess." Rachel twirled a strand of hair around her finger thoughtfully.

"My dads and I would play a board game whenever it got really stormy. It was a nice way to pass time when the power went out. And when we didn't play games I performed for them," she said. Kurt looked at her and cocked his head to the side.

"Dads?" Rachel laughed and nodded.

"Yeah. I'm the product of a surrogate," Rachel explained. "I love my dads, they've always been supportive of me." As she said the last part her eyes seemed to dim, losing their normal competitive sparkle. Kurt looked at her sympathetically, wondering what made her leave the parents she loved so much.

"Well, I don't miss my parents," Santana said from across the circle. "I'm glad I left." Brittany turned and rested her hand on Santana's knee.

"You must miss them a little," she said, brow furrowed. Santana rolled her eyes, but wove her fingers around Brittany's hand.

"You didn't have my life, Brit," she said. "This circus is the best thing to ever happen to me." A few others nodded in agreement. Puck stretched and smirked to himself.

"Yeah, without this place I'd probably be in juvie right now," he said. "Glad I had the sense to join when I did."

Blaine had heard comments like these for years, but it never ceased to make him feel sorry for his friends. He knew some of them had had it worse than others before they joined the circus, much worse. Kurt listened to each comment in fascination, curious to learn more about his fellow performers.

"I just joined to escape my parents," Tina said, snuggling closer to Mike, who had his arms wrapped around her waist as they sat, chest to back. "They were way too into our Asian heritage and culture and I didn't want to be just a stereotype anymore. I'm not defined by my race." Artie nodded in agreement from his seat by Puck, shuffling through his iPod for a decent song.

"Amen sister," Mercedes said, throwing her fist into the air as she worked on weaving strings of hemp dyed different colors together. She was making the bracelet for Kurt- a friendship bracelet. Quinn looked up from her book. Finn shifted beside her, almost asleep from the dull conversation.

"Well, let's just say that my parents were control freaks and I just couldn't take it anymore," she said swiftly before returning to her book, as if never saying anything at all. Kurt soaked up all of this information, trying to fill in the blanks of everyone's story, but coming up blank. He looked over to Sam, who had begun to stare blankly ahead of him, as if in deep thought.

"I joined because I knew my parents couldn't afford to buy for three kids," he said quietly. Kurt wasn't sure anyone had heard him but him, but it broke his heart to see the despair in Sam's eyes. He just looked on sympathetically, unsure on whether to say anything or keep quiet and let Sam fall into his own thoughts. Kurt's head pounded with information. They were most definitely a gang of misfits.

Blaine wrapped his arms tighter around Kurt, as if sensing his racing mind. Kurt smiled at him appreciatively before tucking his head under Blaine's chin, listening to his heartbeat. Kurt had just begun to drift into a light sleep when Puck's eyes landed on him.

"What's your story, Kurt?" he asked. Everyone else must have been as curious as Puck because they had all stopped what they were doing and were now staring at him, waiting for an answer. Kurt felt his face grow hot and he shrugged the blanket off of him a little, withdrawing from Blaine.

"Well, I…" he started, unsure of what to say. He didn't really want to share his story with anyone else, but he knew that they were all a family and knew each others' stories. Blaine moved uncomfortably, just as uneasy as Kurt. "I joined because I had to escape a bully." Santana snorted.

"What'd he do, call your outfit last season?" Kurt glared and pursed his lips.

"No, he threatened to kill me," he said viciously. A heavy silence fell over them as everyone looked at each other in shock and embarrassment. Santana opened and closed her mouth like a fish, stopped dead in her tracks. Kurt could feel Blaine tense beside him. Kurt cursed himself. He never told Blaine that Karofsky threatened to kill him, just that he'd kissed him. Puck just stared at Kurt as he looked at the floor, angry.

"Wow, I'm sorry man." Kurt shrugged and looked up, eyes looking ad each and every person.

"It's fine," he said. "He can't hurt me here." Santana's eyes softened and she bit her lip.

"I'm sorry Kurt, that was out of line." Kurt looked at her and sighed, giving her a small smile.

"It's alright, you didn't know." She nodded and began to play with Brittany's hair again, undoing her braid. Blaine looked at Kurt with an unreadable expression. It made Kurt feel like he was no bigger than a speck of dust.

"Why didn't you tell me that he threatened to kill you?" he asked softly. Kurt shook his head.

"It's all in the past, Blaine," Kurt said, placing his hand over Blaine's. "I'm not even sure he meant it. He was just scared that I would out him." Blaine still looked skeptical, but let the matter rest as he nuzzled his nose into Kurt's hair. Kurt laughed softly and leaned into Blaine's touch. Blaine kissed Kurt on the forehead and laughed as Kurt's hair tickled his nose.

"So, who wants to sing a campfire song?" Blaine asked as he pulled away from Kurt. "I've got my guitar!" Everyone groaned loudly, launching into protest.

"I don't want a repeat of last time," Quinn said, eyes darting to Rachel. "Besides, I don't think anyone feels like singing. Feel free to entertain us though." Blaine's expression fell dramatically, looking very much like a kicked puppy. Kurt had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Blaine nonetheless reached behind him where he placed his guitar earlier and brought it to his front, resting it in his lap. Kurt scooted away to give Blaine room to play, stealing the blanket.

"Fine, so does anyone have any problems with Edwin McCain?" Everyone shook their head, happy to let Blaine do as he wished. Blaine played a couple of chords as he tried to remember exactly how to play the song he had in mind, before slipping into a slow, warm strumming.

" _The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful stop me and steal my breath_ ," he sang. Mercedes shook her head with a smile and a soft "love this song". Kurt was sure he'd heard the song before, but at the moment he couldn't recall when or where. He enjoyed how gentle Blaine's voice sounded, though, and the glances he was sending his way as he sang.

" _Tell me that we belong together. Dress it up with the trappings of love. I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips, instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above..."_ Kurt noticed that some of his friends began to sway with the music. Santana lightly bobbed her head as Brittany swayed dreamily back and forth. Tina snuggled closer to Mike and Quinn had closed her book, lacing her fingers with Finn's. Kurt smiled to himself and watched Blaine play, changing chords with a practiced ease. He began to him along with Blaine, though he didn't know the words.

" _I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be love's suicide. I'll be better when I'm older, I'll be the greatest fan of your life_ ," Blaine sang, looking over at Kurt through his eyelashes, grinning as Kurt turned red and smiled. Blaine didn't even realize he was just playing until he missed coming in for the second verse. He stopped playing and laughed at himself. Kurt shook his head and moved closer to Blaine, grabbing the neck of his guitar.

"As much as I love your singing," Kurt said, pulling the guitar away from Blaine's lap. "I'd love you more as a pillow right now." Blaine rolled his eyes but allowed Kurt to take away his guitar and set it aside, making sure it would be safe before tucking his head under Blaine's chin, skin warming from Blaine's body heat. Blaine took the blanket and wrapped it around both of their shoulders, inhaling the scent of Kurt's hair before lying his cheek on top of Kurt's head closing his eyes, feeling pretty comfortable for a rainy day.

 


	20. Chapter 20

Nobody really knows why time flies when one's having fun. Maybe it's the universe being a bitch, slowing down events that are painful to us and speeding up ones that we'd like to savor forever. Maybe it's all in our minds- humans perceive time differently than other beings after all. Or maybe it's just because you're enjoying yourself so much that you lose track of hours, days, weeks. You forget to keep tabs on what you're supposed to be doing when and you just let yourself  _be_  and live for once.

Nobody really knows, but Blaine felt the days he spent with Kurt, teaching him his various jobs, slip by quickly. The day after the rainstorm had been absolutely beautiful with fine weather and blue skies, so the circus went on once more. Kurt sat by Blaine's side that night as he worked the lights during the show, positively mesmerized by all of the buttons and flashing lights and absolutely refusing to touch anything despite Blaine's playful urges to just " _turn off the damn spotlight Kurt! It's not going to blow up on you_!"

That day sped by light a bolt of lightning, and every day afterwards. Blaine soon found himself packing up to head off to the next location, leaving behind his hometown once more. He helped break down tents with Kurt at his side, unable to help but taking in Blaine's techniques- how he tied a rope, how he unhooked a tether, how he rolled up a tent. Kurt would ask questions every now and then, lips turning upwards unconsciously as Blaine explained in detail everything he was doing.

When they had gotten to the next town, Kurt was attached to Blaine at the hip, metaphorically speaking. Blaine secretly thought that Kurt was taking this whole thing a little too seriously, but rationalized that Kurt was just  _bored_  with not being able to help with anything. So without a word against Kurt, Blaine set up tents, fed tigers, and sorted equipment with Kurt right behind him. Kurt petted Mercedes's tigers, Sasha and Nadua, one particular night with a content sigh as Blaine went to fetch water for the beasts, only slightly afraid they'd bite his hand off at any given moment.

"Your tigers are beautiful, Mercedes," he said, looking over to the sassy girl, who was watching Blaine like a hawk as he filled bowls of water for her babies. She gave him a knowing look before turning to Kurt and stroking Nadua behind the ear.

"They're very gentle too," she said, smiling at the way Nadua's blue eyes fluttered closed as Mercedes's fingers found just the right spot behind her ear. "By the way, how do you like the bracelet I made you?" Kurt looked down at his wrist at the woven band, which was navy, red, and tan.

"It's lovely," he said honestly. "You've got to teach me your ways of jewelry making." Mercedes laughed and looked down at her own bracelet, which consisted of the same colors but with a different pattern. Blaine had a similar one tied around his wrist, but it was worn with age and the colors were not as bright as they once were.

"Of course," she said, now scratching Sasha under the chin. "As soon as that arm is better we'll have a lesson."

 

 

As the week progressed Kurt was taught how to work lights, ropes, make cotton candy, deal with unruly children, light and extinguish torches, fix broken lights, put together various equipment, use the popcorn machine, make the perfect caramel apple, properly count out change for twenty dollar bill, make balloon animals, and sooth a crying child. Kurt had found this last lesson quite endearing when a little girl who couldn't have been over six years old tripped over her shoelace and dropped her ice cream. Blaine immediately ceased his narration on how to create a proper balloon poodle and rushed to the girl, asking for her name. Kurt stood dumbfounded, holding the pink poodle to his chest.

"E-Emily," the little girl stuttered, tears trailing down her small face as she watched her ice cream melt on the ground, rivulets of pink weaving through the dirt. Blaine kneeled down and tied her shoelace into the perfect double-knot.

"Well Emily, I'm going to make sure you get a big, new scoop of ice cream," he said to her, smiling softly as the little girl rubbed at her glimmering blue eyes with her small fists. She brought her hand away from one of her eyes, gazing at him with a pitiful pout.

"A _really_ big scoop?" she asked, looking at him with uncertainty. Blaine held his hand out for her to take, gently pulling her to her feet.

"The biggest scoop you've ever seen," he promised. "With a big, red cherry on top." The little girl grinned, all despair lost as Blaine guided her to the ice cream stand and asked for a  _BIG_  scoop of strawberry ice cream. Emily's eyes widened in wonder as Blaine carefully handed her the new scoop, staring at it greedily with her young eyes. Blaine kneeled down in front of her and looked at her seriously.

"Now make sure you don't drop this one," he said. "Be careful, I don't want you to fall again." Emily nodded furiously, promising that she'd never-ever-never let this scoop of ice cream fall and said a "thank you nice man" before carefully walking over to her parents, who waved a silent "thank you", with her new ice cream cone. Blaine smiled to himself and walked back over to Kurt, who had watched the whole scene with a grin on his face.

"That was cute," he said, smiling at Blaine, who shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Situations like that happen all the time," Blaine said, watching the little girl as she walked with her parents, now mesmerized by a juggling Sam. "I just like to make sure that a kid stays happy here. You're not supposed to be sad at a circus." Kurt gazed at Blaine with admiration. Blaine felt Kurt staring at him and looked into his eyes questioningly.

"What?" he asked. Kurt just shook his head and looked back to Emily, who licked at her ice cream as she looked about in wonder.

"Nothing," he said. "You're just amazing."

 

 

Blaine had never enjoyed himself more than during the weeks he spent with Kurt at his side, observing every job he did. It made him feel cool for once, especially when Kurt looked at him with a ludicrous expression like "how are you able to do that?", which Blaine was sure was the look he had always had on his face whenever he watched Kurt perform. But, as time does seems to fly when one's having fun, three weeks and three towns had passed.

"I think I get my cast off soon," Kurt said as they lay side by side on Kurt's cot in his tent, excitement coursing through his veins. Blaine couldn't help but feel disappointment creep through his body and prickle at his fingertips. He'd enjoyed Kurt being with him so much these past few weeks; he selfishly didn't want Kurt to go back to performing again and leave him alone with his handy man work.

"That's great," Blaine strained, not looking at Kurt. "I know you've been itching to get back out there." Kurt turned his face to look at Blaine. He rolled over and put his hand on Blaine's arm.

"Hey," he said. "When I get this cast off it's you and me, remember? I'm going to teach you and then you can perform too." Blaine turned his head and looked at Kurt's face, unable to say anything at Kurt's hopeful statement. Blaine was excited for Kurt to teach him, but he never really expected to  _perform_. But he forced a smile anyway and placed his hand on Kurt's cheek, stroking his soft skin with his thumb.

"Yeah," he said. "I can't wait."

A few days after that, Will took Kurt to a doctor to remove his cast and check out his arm. The bones had fully healed, but it would be another week or so before Kurt could even attempt to get back on the silks. So, with an impatient but happy spirit, Kurt returned with a healed arm and his signed cast to keep as a grotesque memento.

 

 

"Well, at least now you can help me out a bit before you leave me," Blaine said as he and Kurt drove into the newest town to put up fliers. Kurt frowned with a hurt expression, gripping said stack of fliers tightly in his hands.

"I'm not leaving you, Blaine," he said, a little sharper than he intended. "I'm just going back to what I was doing before this whole mess." Blaine sighed and nodded, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I know," he said less harshly. "I shouldn't have put it that way." Kurt stroked Blaine's arm with his fingers in a comforting gesture, relishing that fact that he could move his left arm again.

"I can still help you out," Kurt said. "Just not during practice or performances." Blaine nodded and glanced at Kurt briefly, smiling a small smile.

"Yeah, I guess I'll just miss having you around every waking moment." Kurt laughed and shook his head.

"How you will ever manage to live a moment without seeing this magnificence I will never know." Blaine shrugged with a smile.

"I'll learn to live with it," he said, reaching for the radio dial. Neon Trees blared from the speakers, drowning out any train of thought or conversation they may have had. Kurt sighed and looked at the window, watching the trees as they rushed by. He knew how Blaine felt about being the only non-performer, but he could only sympathize with it for so long before it just became redundant. Blaine's attitude was starting to rub him the wrong way and as much as Kurt cared for him, it had to stop. That's why Kurt wanted to teach Blaine, so that he wouldn't feel so alone anymore.

Kurt looked down at the colorful fliers in his lap and bit his lip, anxious to begin teaching Blaine. Even if he couldn't teach him the more intricate moves, he knew he'd be able to teach him enough to be able to convince Will to let him into the act, even if for a moment. He'd thought long and hard about this, lying in his cot for hours, thinking of what he could teach Blaine. The very thought thrilled him, but also gave him uncertainty.

As the song blaring from the radio came to an end, Kurt turned down the volume, grateful to properly use his eardrums. Blaine didn't seem to mind or notice the change in volume. Kurt stared at the yellow lines separating their lane from the other lane on the road, taking in all of the places the reflectors had been knocked off.

"You know I just want to help you, right?" Kurt asked as they drove into the rather small town. Pedestrians roamed the streets, looking into shop windows and enjoying the lovely, breezy day. Blaine pulled into a parking spot in front of a furniture store that boasted family ownership and great values.

"Of course I do," Blaine said, unbuckling his seatbelt after he parked the car and turned off the ignition. "I'm sorry for acting this way." Kurt scooted himself down the seat and placed the stack of Cirque fliers behind him in the passenger's seat. He placed one hand on the back of Blaine's neck, softly caressing the curls of his hair.

"Just trust me, okay?" Kurt asked, looking into Blaine's eyes. "I know you don't believe you can do what I do, but have some faith. It'll be a lot more fun if you believe in yourself." Blaine's expression softened and he leaned forward to kiss Kurt on the lips, lingering for a moment before kissing him on the tip of his nose.

"Alright," he said, "Make a believer out of me." Kurt played with Blaine's curls and smirked, determination shining in his eyes. He wanted nothing more than for Blaine to believe in himself. After everything Blaine had helped him with, he deserved to feel good.

"Challenge accepted."

 


	21. Chapter 21

There was complete and utter silence. A pale hand ran its long fingers down an ocean blue silk hanging from the ceiling of the big top, letting its owner's senses remember the feel of the soft fabric, how it felt wrapped around his arms and legs, how it flowed like water one minute and stretched taunt like a rope the next. The big top was empty, illuminated by a lone spotlight that Kurt had turned on when he snuck inside. Everyone else was asleep in their tents, dreaming their troubles away and rejuvenating their energy. Kurt could only see what the spotlight chose to show. Everything else was bathed in an inky black that set Kurt on edge as his eyes looked around, making sure he was alone.

Excited eyes gazed up the length of the fabric. A driving urge wriggled under Kurt's skin to climb up that silk, even though his arm was not in the best condition to hold his weight just yet. He had had to suffer for weeks on the ground, unable to hoist himself high above the crowd where he belonged. Without thinking, Kurt kicked off his shoes and socks, bare feet touching the thick mat. A shiver ran down his spine as he gripped the silk tight with his right hand, skin tingling with anticipation. He'd climbed up a silk one-handed before when he first began his training, just testing to see what he could do, and he could do it again. Kurt split the silk and wound his right foot around the blue fabric so that it held on like a harness to his foot. He used the toes of his left foot like fingers and, very monkey like, he slowly ascended the silk.

A small grunt escaped his lips as he climbed, left hand reflexively flying to grip the other side of the silk. Kurt sighed and continued up the silk, only really using his left arm to grip and not pull himself up. He managed to make it halfway up before feeling the strain in his shoulders, muscles quivering from not being used in weeks. Kurt slowly lowered himself down, wincing once his feet touched the ground.

"Ow," he said, rotating his shoulders. "I'll not be doing that again soon." Suddenly he heard a noise like the sound of footsteps softly to his left. Kurt turned his head and squinted into the darkness, trying to make out the figure hiding in the shadows.

"Blaine?" he asked, wondering if his boyfriend had followed him into the tent. A lithe figure stepped out of the shadows, far too feminine to be Blaine.

"Not hardly," Quinn said, stepping into the spotlight. "You know you're not supposed to be doing that." Kurt frowned and placed his hands on his hips.

"Why are you spying on me?" he asked, eyebrow arched. Quinn laughed and shook her head.

"Not spying," she said. "Just wondering why our newly recovered aerialist is sneaking off to the big top when everyone is supposed to be sleeping." Kurt sighed and removed his hands from his hips, bringing one up to brush his bangs back.

"I just wanted to feel it again," he said. "These weeks have been absolute torture." Quinn smiled a mysterious smile and sauntered forward.

"Just make sure you stay safe for Blaine's sake," she said, walking behind Kurt to run her long fingers down the silk. Kurt turned around and crossed his arms.

"Thanks for the concern," he said, albeit sarcastically. Quinn laughed again and walked around the dangling silk, hand stroking it as she made her circle. Kurt felt uncomfortable. He didn't know Quinn well, except that Blaine spoke to her often and that she and Rachel hated each other for at least three days a week. Quinn looked over at Kurt with her piercing green eyes and walked away, returning to the direction she had come from. Kurt just looked after her with confusion, wondering what just happened.

Just when he thought he was finally alone, he felt a hand lightly touch the small of his back. With a squeal he jumped and whirled around to take on a very ninja-like stance, only to face a defensive Blaine holding his hands up in surrender.

"Woah there Jackie Chan," Blaine said, taking in Kurt's form with amused eyes. Kurt laughed nervously and reverted to a more casual stance.

"Don't do that," he said. "I just had a creepy encounter with Quinn. I don't need anyone else freaking me out." Blaine gave Kurt a questioning look and then shook his head, as if deciding against asking about it. Instead he wound his arms around Kurt waist and rested his forehead against Kurt's, looking into his eyes.

"Why are you in here?" he asked. Kurt placed his arms around Blaine's neck and stared into his hazel orbs.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"You know you're not supposed to be doing this again just yet," Blaine said seriously. Kurt sighed and stepped back a little, creating space between them. Blaine watched Kurt, trying to read the emotions going through his eyes. Kurt seemed to give up and pull away all together, slipping away from Blaine's hands.

"My arm is fine," Kurt fibbed. "I'm just tired of waiting around. Why should I wait any longer to do what I'm here for if I'm perfectly fine?" Blaine caressed Kurt's cheek.

"We just want to make sure you won't hurt yourself again," he said. "For now, you just need to stay in the shadows with me." Kurt frowned, noting the small note of selfishness in Blaine's tone.

I don't want to be in the shadows. I want to be out there again and do what I'm meant to do!" Kurt threw his arms up and Blaine stared at him like he'd just been shot, slightly caught off guard by the sudden outburst.

"So helping out around here is just waiting?" Blaine asked, venom lacing its way through his words. "You don't want to be in the shadows like me? You don't want to be an outcast like me?"

"Blaine, that's not what I-"

"I know what you meant, Kurt," Blaine said, crossing his arms. "Now you know exactly how I feel." Kurt looked stricken and his head swirled to find a proper emotion. He could feel the tension seize up his jaw and his head pound from increasing irritation.

"Fine then," he said, stepping closer to Blaine. "Yeah, I do feel like an outcast. It feels terrible to see all of your friends out there, having the time of their lives when you have to sit behind a light board or stand beneath a pulley. But how can you possibly know how I feel? You've never even been out there in the first place!"

"Of course I haven't!" Blaine exclaimed. "I don't know how it feels to have every eye on you, gazing in awe as you perform amazing feats. I don't know how it feels to be admired and looked at like something more than human!" They stared at each other in anger, sparks flying between them like metal against a blade.

"I know exactly how it feels to be human, Blaine," Kurt said viciously. "I certainly didn't feel invincible when I  _broke my arm_."

"Well now it's healed, so you can go back to your tricks and your adoring fans," Blaine said, scathing. "Don't even worry about me. I'll just stay in the shadows where I belong."

"What is with this attitude Blaine?" Kurt yelled, face contorting in rage. "I'm sick and tired of it! Get over yourself and stop putting on this pathetic, emo persona every time anyone talks about performing!" Blaine clenched his fists and growled, unable to say anything. Instead he turned, not looking back at the furious Kurt as he exited the tent, boiling with rage.

Kurt growled into the air and kicked at the ground, only slightly feeling the pain as toe hit the hard surface. After a few moments though, Kurt's rage was replaced with confusion, followed by sympathy and then fear. What had he done?

 

 

The next few days were dark ones. Everyone in the Cirque could feel the tension in the air. Nobody spoke to Kurt and Blaine. To even go near them seemed like suicide. They stayed as far away from each other as possible. When the time came for the big top performances at night, Kurt stayed cooped up in his tent alone, clutching Pavarotti in his hands as he tried to think up ways to fix this terrible problem. Blaine however immersed himself in his anger and performed all of his tasks with a vengeance, each one reminding him of their argument with a painful gut wrench.

Mercedes was the first to talk to Blaine, only mildly afraid of his current emotions.

"He basically told me that I was an outcast!" Blaine exclaimed, pacing in his tent as he vented to Mercedes, who sat uncomfortably on his cot. "He knows how I feel about that! How dare he complain when he'll be back to the silks within the week?" Blaine stomped to his cot and plopped down, the cot bouncing violently with the force. Mercedes furrowed her brow.

"Have you talked to him since you guys fought?" she asked. Blaine looked at her as though she were insane; as if that were the stupidest question she could ask.

"Of course not!" he said, leaping back to his feet to continue his pacing. He clutched a pillow to his chest, the only thing keeping him from throwing things across the tent. "I know what his feelings are. Why should he be with me, the mere  _help_."

"Now you know that's not how he feels," Mercedes said sternly. "Nobody feels that way about you, Blaine. I don't know where you get this idea that you're beneath us. If anything you're superior to us all. Without you this circus would fall apart." Blaine stopped in his tracks and looked ahead, as if having a great debate with himself.

"I know," he said dejectedly. "I just want to be like you guys so badly."

"Then do it," Mercedes said, standing up. "There's nothing that has stopped you all these years but yourself. If you'd push your damn pride out of the way for once, you could just do what you want to do. Take Kurt up on his offer, learn what he can do." Blaine turned and looked at Mercedes. She gave him a small smile and shrugged. "What's the worse than can happen?"

 

 

Meanwhile, Quinn tried to talk some sense into Kurt, which was proving to be very difficult indeed.

"I don't want to hear it, Quinn," he said, glaring at her. She tapped her foot impatiently from her position at the entrance of Kurt's tent, blocking it so that Kurt couldn't get in.

"But you've got to," she said. "Blaine's an absolute brute right now and you have to fix it." Kurt 'hmphed' and lightly shoved Quinn out the way with his shoulder, stalking into his tent. Quinn followed him with her hands on her hips, lips pursed. Kurt stood in the middle of the tent for an awkward moment before apparently deciding to make his cot. Quinn just watched in silence as the flustered boy neatly folded his blanket and smoothed his pillows.

"Are you finished?" she asked, eyebrow arching sharply. Kurt admired his work with a scowl and whirled around to face Quinn.

"I'm not talking to him," he said, heart racing. "He's the one with the attitude problem. He can come apologize to me." Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Fine. But if you two don't get your act together, Will will be all over this, and that's never a good thing." She turned on her heel and exited the tent, leaving Kurt to brood. If he were a cartoon, steam would be gushing from his ears.

"Blaine has to apologize to me," Kurt muttered to himself, flopping onto the neatly made cot, causing it to wrinkle and be messy once more. "I'm not the wrong one here."

 

 

Mercedes left Blaine's tent with a sigh, not entirely sure she had helped in the slightest. She spied Quinn exiting Kurt's tent from across the way. She lengthened her stride to catch up to her.

"Any luck?" she asked once she had caught up with the blond girl. Quinn let out a sigh and shrugged.

"They're both very stubborn," she said. "I don't know how this is going to turn out." Mercedes frowned.

"Well, they better kiss and make up soon. They're both acting like complete idiots." Quinn chuckled. They both went their separate ways, praying that Kurt and Blaine could work this mess out, and soon.


	22. Chapter 22

The melodic sounds of one Sarah Brightman rang through the humid summer air as the day grew dark. Her haunting voice wove through the trees and caressed the curve of the Cirque residents' ears, causing them to shiver and wonder why such music was being played.

The source of course was Kurt's tent, namely his CD player. "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" was playing at a rather obnoxious volume, but nobody wanted to tell Kurt to turn it down. Nobody had seen nor spoken to him that day. Everyone assumed he was just trying to keep away from Blaine, which proved to be victorious. Blaine hadn't seen hide nor hair of the aerialist all day.

He felt like a fool. Blaine didn't know why he snapped like that. Well, that wasn't all together truthful. Something in him just broke when he heard those words come from Kurt's mouth, no matter how many times Kurt had professed his fondness for Blaine, how much he assured Blaine that his troubles were extremely unrealistic. The curly-haired boy had thought on it all day and decided to apologize. He needed to  _apologize_. When he'd told Mercedes, she just gave him a look and said, "Well,  _finally_." That made Blaine feel even worse.

So, with a slight drag of his feet, Blaine approached Kurt's tent. The sorrowful music that emitted from inside caused him to both grimace and chuckle at Kurt's melodrama. He stopped a few feet away, rehearsing his apology in his head.

" _Kurt, I'm so sorry. I was a complete ass and I shouldn't have blown up on you like that. I care about you and it kills me that I yelled like that at you. Please forgive me. I would love to learn from you and I promise that if I ever pull an attitude like that again you can hang me from the silks."_

Blaine said it in his head a few times, liking the way it sounded. He fixed his hair a little and cleared his throat, preparing himself for the worst. Slowly, he approached the entrance to Kurt's tent, Kurt's music ringing in his ears. He pulled the opening up with his hand and stepped inside.

"Kurt, I'm-" he started, stopping dead in his tracks when he looked at the boy before him.

Kurt was sitting on his cot with his back turned to Blaine. Blaine couldn't see Kurt's face from where he was standing, but he could tell that Kurt was not in a good mood. His arms were tight around his knees, which were pressed up against his chest. Sarah Brightman echoed from the CD player stationed a ways from both Blaine and Kurt. Blaine didn't quite know what to do with himself.

"I don't want to talk to you, Blaine," Kurt said. Blaine's heart jumped as he heard Kurt's voice crack. He side-stepped to get a better view of Kurt's face. His eyes lay on the sight of Kurt holding Pavarotti close to his chest. Was that a tear slowly rolling its way down Kurt's cheek?

"Oh, Kurt," Blaine said, stepping closer to Kurt. The other boy scooted away from Blaine defiantly, holding Pavarotti tight. "I'm  _so_  sorry." Kurt sniffed and turned his head, not quite looking at Blaine.

"You should be," he said. "Have you finally calmed yourself down?" More tears fell down his face in a steady stream. Blaine didn't know his boundaries at the moment, so he just stood in his place, wishing Kurt would stop crying.

"I was an ass," Blaine said. "Please forgive me. I can't believe I yelled like that at you. I care about you Kurt." Kurt finally cast his eyes upward to look at Blaine. Blaine was floored by those eyes piercing through his soul.

"I'm sorry too," Kurt said, looking at Blaine. "I prompted the whole thing. I guess we're both on edge." Blaine took that as a sign that he could move closer, so he stepped lightly and sat down on the cot, placing his hand on Kurt's.

"Why are you crying?" he asked softly. Kurt sniffed again, wiping the tears away with his other hand.

"I was so scared I was going to lose you because of this stupid argument," Kurt admitted. "I finally found someone who liked me for me. I was terrified that it was going to be over before it began." Blaine sympathized with Kurt. He had felt the same exact way. He looked down at Pavarotti. The little bird must have become a sort of anchor for Kurt since Blaine let him have him. Little blue eyes stared at him, unblinking, observant.

"So was I," Blaine said, looking back at Kurt. "I am  _so_  sorry. I promise to never behave like that ever again. I hope you'll still teach me." Kurt looked down and for a terrible, long moment Blaine thought Kurt would say no. But his fears were dashed away when Kurt nodded and looked into his eyes.

"Of course," he said. "I'd be happy too." Blaine smiled in relief.

"Come here," he said, holding his arms out. Kurt removed his arms from around his legs and wound them around Blaine, bathing in the scent he hadn't smelled in days. Blaine inhaled deeply. Kurt smelled like the ocean, crisp and exciting. Blaine smelled like lemongrass, the vibrant scent tickling Kurt's nose.

Sarah Brightman sang her last, solemn note as the boys just sat embracing each other, her voice like the sound of a dewdrop falling into a pond. The next track played, the voice of Idina Menzel reverberating throughout the tent.

"I love this song," Blaine said as they pulled away from each other. Kurt nodded in agreement.

"I love the whole musical," he said with a smile. Blaine played with Kurt's hair, relishing in the silky strands.

"I've never seen it," he said. Kurt smiled to himself, remembering a fond memory.

"My dad took me when I was thirteen," he said, swatting away Blaine's hand. "Even he was impressed." Blaine chuckled and then something clicked in his head. He stared out into space for a moment as he thought about his idea. Kurt waved his hand in front of Blaine's face.

"Uh, hello? Earth to Blaine. This is Star Command. Do you read me?" Blaine blinked and snapped out of his epiphany.

"I have a great idea," he said, looking at Kurt. Kurt looked puzzled and then shook his head.

"Oh, no. I don't want to hear one of your bright ideas." Blaine pouted and took both of Kurt's hands, wrapping his around Kurt's so that they both cradled Pavarotti.

"But this one involves you!" Kurt seemed more interested, but cautious. He took one look at Blaine's broad smile and decided to let him at it.

"Yeah? Do tell."

 

 

The two teens stayed in Kurt's tent for the rest of the day, long into the Cirque performance. They just laid on Kurt's cot and talked out their problems: Blaine's feelings about his position in the Cirque, Kurt's feelings about Blaine's position in the Cirque, Blaine's thoughts on his parents and how he was coping, Kurt's father and how he missed him, their feelings about life in general, and finally around to their feelings about each other.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked as they lay facing each other on their sides, lightly caressing each other with their fingertips. Kurt seemed to be lulled into slumber by Blaine gently running his fingers down Kurt's side. He gave a noncommittal sound to Blaine's question. "I really am sorry. I hope you know how much I care about you." Kurt opened one blue eye and just looked at Blaine before closing it again, concentrating on the feeling of Blaine's hand running down his arm.

"I'm starting to," Kurt said, petting Blaine's hair. Blaine pulled Kurt close so that their chests were flush against each other. Kurt made a rather funny sound and blushed furiously as his face came mere centimeters from Blaine's. Blaine blushed also as he felt Kurt's body heat mingle with his own.

Kurt nuzzled Blaine's nose with his own in an Eskimo kiss. The close proximity set both boys' blood pumping through their veins. Soon words became breaths, which turned into a gasp here and a moan there as they began to kiss. Kurt's hand moved to clutch at black curls as Blaine's moved to rest on Kurt's hip, thumb moving in small circles.

Blaine pulled away to look at a flushed Kurt, whose eyes were alight with fire and excitement. He smiled and claimed Kurt's lips once more, deepening the kiss with a tongue running along Kurt's bottom lip. Kurt shivered and opened his mouth ever so slightly, allowing himself to taste Blaine's mouth as he tasted his. Blaine suddenly became aware of how funny the situation was- how he and Kurt were angry mere hours ago and now they were making out on Kurt's cot. He chuckled to himself and gave Kurt one last kiss before pulling away. Kurt pouted and just stared at Blaine, wondering why all the fun had stopped.

"Something wrong?" Kurt asked. Blaine shook his head and rested his head on a pillow, hazel eyes gazing at the beautiful face of his boyfriend.

"No," Blaine said. "It's all just right." Kurt's eyes softened and he smiled.

 

 

"Have you seen Kurt?" asked Mike to Tina as they worked to organize everything after the show. She shook her head.

"I haven't seen him or Blaine at all today," she said as she pulled bobby pins out of her hair. Mike sighed and kissed her on the cheek before seeking out someone who would know where the aerialist was. He stopped Mercedes sitting in front of a mirror, wiping makeup off of her face.

"Do you know where Kurt is?" he asked. Mercedes made a face and turned towards Mike.

"Well, Blaine went to apologize to him well before the show. So either they've made up and are sucking face or one has killed the other and whoever survived is in hiding," she said with a shrug. Mike's eyebrows shot to his hairline.

"Good to know," he said uneasily. "Well, if you see him, tell him that once we get into the next town he's back to practicing with us. Will told me that it should be safe for him to start performing again." Mercedes nodded and assured him that she'd let Kurt know.

"I know he'll be happy to hear that," she said with a smile. Mike grinned and crossed his arms.

" _I_  was happy to hear that!" he said with a laugh. "I was excited to have another guy in the act, and just when we got it going he had to go and hurt himself." Mercedes shook her head in amusement and when back to removing the glitter from her eyes. Mike left her to her work and walked over to the costume rack. He immediately spotted Kurt's costume. He hung his own costume beside it before walking away, hoping its owner would be wearing it soon.


	23. Chapter 23

It was unbearably hot. The sun radiated temperatures ranging from 95 to almost 100 degrees, with no promise of cloud cover in sight. The caravan of circus vehicles pulled into their newest location, reluctant to stop because stopping meant unloading and leaving behind the sweet blessing that was the air conditioner.

As soon as Blaine jumped down from Mercedes's truck, sweat began to trickle down the back of his neck. Kurt followed behind him, covering himself with an obnoxiously large yellow umbrella. Kurt had told him it was to protect his skin- he didn't "want any awkward tan lines." Blaine took a moment to get used to the change in temperature from the cool truck to the hellish heat outside before beginning his usual routine of yelling out orders.

"Okay everyone!" he yelled, eyes wandering to locate his circus mates. "Let's try and get all of this done as fast as possible so we can get out of this heat! Don't worry about any of the food booths; just concentrate on setting up the tents! We'll unload everything else later this evening when it cools off a bit!" There was grumbling heard from all around as everyone set to work. Blaine turned around to find Mercedes. She was walking around from the driver's side to him.

"Mercedes," he said. She looked up, obviously miserable. "Will you drive into town and get water? Lots of it. Try to get the large barrels as well as individual bottles," Mercedes nodded, relief flooding her face. Blaine sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, the thick mop doing nothing to cool him down. "And take Kurt with you- there's no way I'm going to get him to do anything in this sun." Kurt feigned offence, but quickly smiled and kissed Blaine on the cheek, momentarily covering them both with shade from his umbrella.

"Don't work too hard," he said with concern. Blaine nodded.

"I'll be fine," he said. "Try to move quickly though- I don't know how much water we have left." Kurt kissed Blaine one last time before turning to Mercedes.

"Shall we go?" he asked. Mercedes nodded and laughed.

"We shall."

Blaine watched them drive off into the distance before peeling his shirt off of his body, grateful for any relief from the heat. He casually threw it off to the side before heading towards the other boys setting up the big top, hoping to work as fast as possible.

 

 

When Mercedes and Kurt arrived back to the Cirque, it was nearing noon. They had bought as many packs of individual water as well as large barrels as possible. It wasn't the easiest task- there was a freakishly large amount of people at Wal-Mart on this particular day buying water and blow-up swimming pools.

They pulled the truck under a tree, though it provided little shade. Kurt opened his umbrella as soon as his feet touched the ground. He looked around, impressed at the speed the circus members had set the circus up. All of the tents were set up in their usual places, so they could relax for a bit before getting back to work.

"I'm going to find Will," Mercedes said, brandishing her receipt for the water. "Will you go find some boys to unload all of this water?" Kurt nodded and they set off in different directions. Kurt headed towards the big top, figuring Blaine would be there. As he approached, he noticed that all of the boys had shed their shirts, skin slick and glistening with sweat. Kurt shuddered, wondering if Blaine was wandering around shirtless too. He didn't have to wonder for long.

Blaine was only a few feet away from Kurt, tying down a tether for the big top. His skin shined with sweat, muscles rippling under skin. Kurt blushed and walked over to him.

"We're back," he said timidly, leaning forward to balance on his toes. Blaine tied the tether tightly before looking up at Kurt, a smile gracing his features. He stood up and stretched. Kurt watched every muscle tighten and loosen with fascination. Blaine smiled to himself as he felt Kurt's stare. Blaine gazed around and cupped his hands to his mouth.

"Water is here!" he yelled, voice echoing throughout the Cirque. It was like the universe had pressed the pause button, only to set it to fast forward- everyone stopped what they were doing and rushed to Mercedes's truck like a stampede of wild animals. The commotion caused Kurt to jump.

"Jesus!" he cursed, stepping back, clutching the handle of his umbrella. Blaine laughed at Kurt's expression, a mixture of fear and mortification.

Just then Mike walked up to the pair of them, clutching a bottle of water. Kurt waved.

"Hey Mike," he said. Mike smiled and nodded.

"Hey Kurt," he said. "We have practice at three. Don't be late." Mike took a large gulp of water before walking away. Kurt grinned from ear to ear, heart thumping wildly in his chest. Blaine admired the way Kurt's face lit up and chuckled to himself. Blaine looked down at his watch.

"You've got two hours before practice," he stated. Kurt looked at him, still smiling in excitement. "Care to join me for lunch?" Kurt laced his fingers with Blaine's.

"Of course," he said.

 

 

Kurt pulled on a pair of tight-fitting leggings and a soft, fitted black t-shirt. His feet were bare and he quickly covered them in chalk for grip. After he fixed his clothing he sat down on a large, navy blue mat and stretched- first his legs, then his arms. He regulated his breathing, concentrating on making sure all of his muscles were warmed up correctly.

Mike quickly walked to the smaller teen from across the ring, wearing only a pair of grey sweatpants. He waited for Kurt to finish his stretches before speaking.

"I was thinking we could go through the routine once and see how much you remember," he said, "and anything you're having trouble with we can go over afterwards." Kurt nodded.

"Sounds good to me," he said with a smile. "I just hope I haven't forgotten everything." Mike smiled slightly and put his hands on his hips.

"We'll see."

Turns out, Kurt remembered quite a bit of the routine, only fumbling on the more intricate parts, which only happened because he hadn't used his arms in weeks. Mike was thoroughly impressed.

"Wow Kurt, that's amazing!" Mike exclaimed. Brittany giggled as she lowered herself down the blue silk. Kurt followed behind her, taking a great bow.

"You're too kind!" he said with a smile. Mike just shook his head.

"Guess all we have to do is run through about three more times and we're done for the day," he said. Santana smirked.

"Thank god," she said. "I have more pressing matters to attend to." Kurt didn't even want to know what Santana's "pressing matters" were. He just took his position for the beginning on the routine, waiting for Mike to begin the music again. He heard the piano, the haunting melody. He lost himself in the music, letting his soul lead him. He waited for the sounds of the drums and strutted his way towards the silks, mirroring Mike's every move.

He sighed as he ascended the silk, reveling in the movement, happy to be in his element once again.

Blaine watched from his spot on a bench nearby. Kurt was so graceful. It was like he was this other being when he performed- untouchable, fearless. Blaine would never be tired of watching Kurt. His eyes locked on the way Kurt's muscles tensed in his arms when he climbed up the silk. Blaine licked his lips, eyes glued on his boyfriend. For a moment he was jealous of Brittany. Kurt's hands roamed over her body in a dance of passion before they pushed away from each other, swinging high into the air.

It was still incredibly hot in the tent, but Blaine couldn't figure out if it was from the temperature outside or the swift beating of his heart as it pumped blood through his veins. He blushed and tore his eyes away from Kurt, flustered.

The quartet rehearsed their routine two more times before calling it quits for the day. Blaine stood up and walked over to Kurt, who was patting the back of his neck with a towel. Blaine held out the bottle of water he had brought just for Kurt.

"Water?" he asked kindly. Kurt grinned and took it from him.

"You're a saint," he said before unscrewing the cap and gulping the liquid down. Blaine laughed.

"I know," he said, crossing his arms. "So, how was practice?" Kurt just grinned and set the bottle down.

"Amazing!" he exclaimed. "It feels so good to be performing again." Blaine placed his arms around Kurt's waist, pulling him close. He rested his forehead on Kurt's, looking into his eyes.

"I'm glad," he said genuinely. "I love seeing you happy like this." Kurt blushed and looked into Blaine's hazel eyes. He angled his head just slightly and brushed his lips against Blaine's, pulling away just before Blaine could deepen the kiss.

"I can't wait to start teaching you," Kurt said. "It'll be so much fun! I think we should start tonight." Blaine blinked and pulled his head away, cocking it to the side.

"Tonight?" he asked. Kurt pursed his lips and furrowed his brow.

"Is there something wrong with tonight?" he asked worriedly. Blaine shook his head and placed a kiss on Kurt's nose.

"Of course not," he said. "Tonight is perfect." Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt's, relishing how soft they were. Kurt wound his fingers through Blaine's hair. Blaine laughed against Kurt's mouth and pulled away, gently removing Kurt's hand from his head.

"My hair's disgusting," he said. Kurt rolled his eyes and wound his finger back through Blaine's curls, ignoring his protests.

"It's just sweat, Blaine," he said. "Now if it were some cheap styling gel I could understand-"

"What's wrong with my hair gel?" Blaine asked, only the slightest bit offended. Kurt shook his head with a defiant smile.

"Oh, nothing," he said, gripping Blaine's hair tighter. "It's just that it feels like snot in your hair." Blaine blinked and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Well that was just plain rude," he said, mock glaring. "Completely uncalled for." Kurt chuckled and pulled Blaine's lips close for another kiss, much more powerful than the last. Blaine was caught off guard by the pressure Kurt's lips against his. He felt the feather-light sensation of a tongue running across the bottom of his lip before Kurt broke away with a sadistic smile.

"Can't wait for tonight," he said, releasing Blaine's hair from his grip. He sauntered away from a pouting Blaine, whose head was reeling. He closed his eyes and smiled softly to himself. It was nice to have a happy Kurt back.

 

 

The night air was still- no wind, no sound. It seemed like the crickets and nocturnal creatures had taken refuge for the night and remained unmoving, patiently watching a young man sneak across the Cirque de Joie. Kurt quietly crept to the big top, switching on the spotlight as he passed the light control panel. He set it on a low, warm yellow light.

Kurt had changed out of his leggings and t-shirt and replaced them with a pair of dark blue leggings and a black vest. His eyes darted around the big top, wondering if Blaine was already there, perhaps waiting to pull some prank on him, but he saw no one. He walked around the control panel towards the lone blue silk dangling from the top of the tent. With sure fingers he caressed the silk and split it, taking the silk in each hand.

"Not starting without me?" a voice asked from behind Kurt. A smile stretched his pink lips and he relinquished his grasp on the silk, turning around.

"Never," Kurt said, turning to face Blaine. He looked the boy over. Blaine had changed into a pair of black sweatpants and the oldest grey t-shirt he owned. Blaine moved his eyes down Kurt's body. He felt quite silly in his clothes compared to Kurt's form-fitting ensemble.

"Well, let's get started shall we?" he asked. Kurt shook his head.

"Oh, no. You're not doing anything until you stretch," Kurt said, leading Blaine away from the silk and to the navy mat Kurt had stretched on earlier that day. Blaine waited patiently for instruction.

"Just start off with stretches you'd normally do for any sport," Kurt said, pulling his left arm across his chest. "Touch your toes, stretch your arms, your neck, anything that could be strained." Blaine mirrored Kurt's movements, stretching his arms across his chest. then over his head. They both bent down to touch their toes and Blaine was astonished when Kurt laid his palms flat on the mat. Blaine himself could only touch his fingertips to the ground. He felt his calves stretch as he strained to move his hands closer to the ground.

"Don't hurt yourself," Kurt warned. "They're just stretches." Blaine huffed and straightened back up. Kurt stretched his arms above his head, reaching them as high as they would go. Blaine copied his movements, feeling his t-shirt ride up over his belly button. He felt his back pop three or four times and sighed. Kurt watched Blaine with a secretive smile on his lips, pretending not to notice Blaine's midriff.

"Alright," Kurt said. "Tonight I'm just going to show you how to climb up a silk. It looks easy, but it requires a lot of upper body strength." Blaine followed Kurt back over to the blue silk. Kurt split the silk with his hands.

"First you need to split it and grip each side as high as you can," Kurt explained. "Then, with your right foot, loop the silk- like this, see?" Kurt looped the fabric around his foot in one fluid motion. "Then step on your right foot with your left and start hoisting yourself up, one arm at a time. Make sure you keep the loop on your foot- it's the only thing that could prevent you from falling." Blaine grimaced at the thought, but studied Kurt as he ascended the silk, stopping midway to lower himself back down.

"Your turn!" Kurt said cheerfully, unwinding his foot. Blaine looked up and down the silk, looking more menacing as ever. He drew up all the courage he could muster and stepped around the silk so he'd face Kurt, reciting every step in his head.

' _Split the silk_ ,' he thought to himself, running his fingers down the middle to part each side. ' _Grip each side as high as you can_.' He reached his arms up, gripping the fabric tightly. Blaine glanced down at his feet, trying to remember how Kurt had wound the silk around his foot.

Kurt watched the scene with mild amusement and a bit of admiration at the meticulous way Blaine was going about this. Neither of them spoke to each other. Kurt watched like one watches a play, respectful and silent. His glasz eyes darted between checking Blaine's movements to taking in the sheer determination in the young man's eyes as he concentrated.

Blaine looped the silk around his right foot and moved his left to sit atop it, only to feel a screaming strain in his arms. He suddenly realized just how much strength Kurt possessed. It astonished him. With a sharp intake of breath, Blaine tried to pull himself upward, but his body refused to go any higher. With a sigh, Blaine let go and removed his foot from the silk.

"This is harder than it looks," he said, a bit dumbly. Kurt smiled softly and crossed his arms.

"It's alright. You just need to build more strength in your arms," he said. Blaine stretched his arms across his chest, mentally preparing himself to try again. He gripped the silk more surely this time and looped the silk around his foot. Blaine moved a bit too fast for Kurt's liking, but he seemed to be doing alright. The curly haired boy hoisted himself up, straining a smile as he successfully ascended the silk, alternating hands as he moved upwards.

"Very good!" Kurt exclaimed, laughing. Blaine grinned just before he felt his strength falter.

' _Shit_ ,' the thought to himself before he slipped down the silk. He landed with a thud on the mat below, spread-eagle, with the silk still gripping onto his ankle. Kurt gasped and rushed to Blaine's side.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, looking Blaine over. Despite a bit of disorientation and a wounded ego, he seemed to be okay. Blaine propped himself up in his elbows and shook his head from side to side.

"Well that was absolutely thrilling," he said, though light shone in his eyes.

"You didn't hit your head, did you?" Kurt asked, hands moving to grasp Blaine's head, fingertips gently prodding to find a bump. Blaine laughed and said no, hazel eyes looking at Kurt's needlessly worried expression. Their eyes locked and suddenly something shifted in the air.

Kurt suddenly became aware of just how loud their breaths were and the pounding of his heart in his ears. He noticed the way Blaine's skin seemed to glow the warm, yellow light, how the shadows his curls made on his face made him seem dark and mysterious. Blaine licked his lips, looking into the impossibly beautiful eyes of the boy in front of him. Kurt's chestnut hair looked stunning in the spotlight. He brought a hand up to cradle the back of Kurt's head. Kurt tightened his grip on Blaine's hair and Blaine gently pulled him forward.

When their lips met it was like a spark, shocking their veins and sending goose bumps up their arms and down their bodies. Kurt inhaled sharply through his nose, leaning forward to deepen the kiss. Blaine felt himself leaning back, until his back was flat against the mat. Kurt moved one of his hands to lay flat beside Blaine's head while the other hand entangled itself with Blaine's. Blaine caressed Kurt's cheek with his thumb as he opened his mouth, gently prodding Kurt's lips.

Kurt shivered, parting his lips to allow Blaine entrance. When Blaine's tongue touched his he shivered again. Blaine could feel Kurt trembling above him. His own body was ignited with electricity that surged like a lightning storm. Kurt began to lightly battle with Blaine's tongue, darting around it to run along Blaine's teeth. Blaine let out a small moan before he could stop it, cheeks flushed and hot.

The paler boy's head was swimming. Everything was sensation. When Blaine lightly nipped at Kurt's lower up, he whimpered, eyelids fluttering. When he felt Blaine's hand slide from his neck to his collar bone, he felt utterly dizzy with emotion.

Kurt gently pulled away and looked down at the sight below him. Blaine's hair was an absolute mess, his eyes glazed over in a lust Kurt had never seen before. His own appearance wasn't any less put together. Blaine looked from Kurt's red, wet lips to his flushed face, heart melting when he noticed the way Kurt's eyelids fluttered, long lashes framing his eyes.

They both stared at each other for a long moment before Blaine attempted to clear his throat.

"Well then," Blaine said, just looking up at Kurt. Kurt laughed nervously.

"I hope you don't fall often, or we'll never get anything done," he said, leaning back on his knees. He pulled Blaine with him so that they both sat facing each other. Kurt tried to smooth Blaine's hair down but to no avail.

"Don't even bother," Blaine said with a chuckle. "I think I'm going to get Quinn to cut it anyway." Kurt frowned and cocked his head to the side.

"Not too short," he said. "I'm fond of this rat nest you call a hair-do." Blaine laughed and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on Kurt's lips.

"Alright," he said. He shifted so that he could stand, never letting go of Kurt's hand. "Let's go through this again. At least I know that if I fall it won't be too bad."

 


	24. Chapter 24

"Very nice, Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed as he watched his boyfriend successfully descend the silk. They'd been working on climbing up and down the silk for two days, and with Blaine's fierce determination and Kurt's insistence, Blaine's come a long way. He's less afraid of falling on his butt, but that could have more to do with Kurt's insistence whenever Blaine "hurt" himself.

"I think I'm getting stronger," Blaine said as his feet touched the ground. "That didn't hurt as bad as it usually does." That didn't mean it didn't hurt though. Blaine's arms were positively killing him. Kurt passed him the large water bottle he'd been holding. Blaine took it gratefully.

"You're definitely improving," Kurt said, brushing his bangs off of his forehead. "We may start trying some new things later this week." Blaine licked his lips and screwed the cap back onto the water bottle.

"Well, before we do anything else we need to rest. You've got your comeback tonight!" Kurt couldn't contain his grin and excited squeal, bouncing onto his tiptoes as he clasped his hands together.

"I know! I'm so excited!" he exclaimed, twirling around. "I can't wait. What time is it again?" Blaine laughed and checked his watch he had laid on his shoes earlier.

"Three twenty four," he said. The Cirque didn't even begin until dusk. Blaine was at a loss with what to do with this ball of energy he had standing in front of him. Kurt bounced excitedly, eyes dazzling at the thought of this evening.

"It'll be forever before it gets dark," he complained, pursing his lips. He walked over to a bench and sat down. Blaine walked over to his impatient yet dreadfully adorable boyfriend and stood in front of him, looking down that the brunette. Blaine wished he could fast forward time just so Kurt wouldn't look so disappointed. Kurt's knee bounced and he had his hands clasped together in his lap. Blaine didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the aerialist. Finally he decided that it was best for Kurt to at least get out of the big top until tonight.

"Would you care to join me?" he asked. Kurt looked up from his seat, blue eyes bright and wild. He blinked and cocked his head.

"Join you? How so?" Kurt asked. Blaine held his hand out.

"I don't know. Just to hang out in my tent or something. We could talk, I could play a little guitar, relax before tonight..." Kurt rolled his eyes playfully and smiled, taking Blaine's hand.

 

 

Kurt lounged on Blaine's cot, nuzzling his head against Blaine's pillow. Blaine sat in front of him on the ground, arms resting on the cot with his chin on his hands. Kurt lay on his side, arms around the pillow, inhaling Blaine's scent. He smelled like sandalwood. Blaine admired Kurt as Kurt admired Blaine. They stayed in silence for a while, eyes roaming from hair to eyes to noses to lips, examining each others' faces.

"You're eyes are fascinating," Blaine said, staring at their color and the long lashes that framed them.

"Really?" Kurt asked with a small smile.

"Yeah," Blaine said. "They're blue, but they have this greenish yellow color around the pupil. No wonder they change color so often." Kurt laughed and shifted, burrowing his cheek into the soft pillow.

"Yours are too," Kurt said, looking into those hazel orbs. "They're so warm. Brown and green are so much warmer than blue." Blaine raised his head and put one of his hands on Kurt's arms.

"That's not true," he said. "You're eyes are the sweetest, most wonderful eyes I've ever seen." Kurt couldn't help his grin. He chuckled and removed one of his arms from under the pillow, lacing his hand with Blaine's.

"You're such a sap," he said. Blaine shrugged and kissed Kurt's knuckles.

"I know." They both became quiet and Kurt's eyes fluttered closed, suddenly sleepy. He didn't see the harm in taking a small nap before the show tonight. After all, he needed his energy.

Blaine just watched as Kurt fell asleep, unwilling to bother him. He knew Kurt must be tired after the rigorous practice this week with both himself and the other aerialists. The raven haired boy just watched Kurt's chest expand and fall, Kurt's breath tickling his face. Still, his grip on Blaine's hand didn't weaken even in slumber. Blaine smiled to himself, grateful for the happier turn of events as of late.

He just hoped nothing would ruin it anytime soon.

 

 

The crowd was large as always. Blaine tugged on his purple and red vest, straightening it out as he attempted to reach a balloon that had gotten snagged on a nail protruding from a post. He could feel the vest begin to rise over his belly button once more as he stretched, letting out a victorious "Ha!" when his fingers finally wrapped around the plastic string. He turned back to the little boy who had accidentally let go of the balloon and handed it to him. The little boy let out an enthusiastic "Thank you mister!" before running back to his parents, who were marveling at Sasha and Nadua in their large cages. Nadua paced impatiently in the small space as Sasha laid close to the bars, looking bored. Blaine tugged on his vest once more before heading off to help out Finn with the balloon animals.

"Great, you're here!" Finn exclaimed. "I have seven kids that want giraffes and I can't make them all at once!"

"Not a problem," Blaine said, grabbing a long, blue balloon. He tugged the end a few times to loosen the rubber before bringing it to his lips, blowing the balloon up. He tied the end and twisted it into the basic shape of a giraffe.

"Now, who wants a blue one?" he asked the crowd of children that waited, rather impatiently, for their animals.

"I want the blue one!" a little blonde girl said. "Blue is my favorite color!" Blaine smiled and handed it to her. She grinned widely at him before showing her parents. They thanked Blaine before walking off to get cotton candy. Finn handed an orange giraffe to a little boy, who took one look at it and shoved it into another little boy's hands, claiming he didn't want a giraffe anymore- he wanted a monkey. Finn sighed dejectedly and blew up yet another balloon. Blaine rolled his eyes at the kid's antics and set to work on more giraffes of every color. He handed out a pink one, a green one, and a purple one before glancing down at his wrist, groaning when he looked at his watch.

"I'm sorry Finn. I've got to go," Blaine said, stepping around the kids. Finn gave him a look of pure terror as he looked at all of the small children he still had to make animals for. Blaine just shrugged with an apologetic look and trudged off towards the big top.

This particular night he was playing the synthesizer yet again, but Blaine wasn't about to complain- if the usual woman who played it hadn't twisted her wrist (again) he wouldn't have been able to watch Kurt's return. As he set up his music he wondered how Kurt was doing.

 

 

Kurt was absolutely thrilled. Showtime couldn't come faster. He bounced in his seat as Quinn applied make-up and jewels to his face, becoming increasingly agitated. But she said nothing, knowing that Kurt was just excited. Once she was done though she stalked away, not even waiting for a thank you.

"How are you doing?" Mercedes asked as she walked up to the brunette. Kurt grinned and rapped his fingers on the dressing table.

"I'm fantastic!" he exclaimed. "But showtime is taking forever. I want to perform already!" Mercedes shook her head at her impatient friend.

"Don't wish you life away Kurt," she warned. But she was smiling. "You gotta savor the good stuff." Kurt nodded and sighed, standing up. He took Mercedes's hand in his, looking over her ensemble, which was different from what she normally wore. Instead of gold and purple she donned a bright, cherry red sequined vest over a lacy black top. She wore high black leather boots over black pants and fingerless black lace gloves. Her top hat was black velvet with a red sash around it, the ends dangling off the brim of the hat. Her eyes were donned with red and silver eye shadow.

"You look amazing," Kurt said. "Great choice!" Mercedes laughed and twirled, still holding onto Kurt's hand. "Tina helped me pick it out," she said, holding her arm out. Kurt smiled and looked over to where Tina sat. She was currently helping to put jewels around Mike's eyes. He never looked particularly enthused when he had to have his make-up put on, but Kurt couldn't help but notice how at ease Mike looked around Tina. It was cute.

"She has fabulous taste," Kurt said, looking back to Mercedes. She nodded and agreement. Suddenly they heard a bell and Kurt's heart began to beat wildly in his chest.

"Well, five minutes," Mercedes said with a wink. "I'm going to get my babies ready." Kurt watched Mercedes walk away, towards her tigers. He sat back down in his seat, unsure of what to do with himself. He glanced at himself in the mirror, admiring the way the jewels brought out his eyes as they wound around his eye and down the side of his face. Quinn got a little happy with the body jewels, but it looked rather good. She had also applied silver to his eyelids. Kurt adjusted his costume and fixed his hair, hoping he wouldn't have much longer to wait.

 

 

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Will cried from his position in the center ring. "Boys and girls! I welcome you to the Cirque de Joie! The most wondrous and thrilling circus your eyes will ever feast upon!" The crowd erupted in applause. Blaine leaned back in his seat, getting comfortable.

"Tonight you will see thrilling acrobatics, hilarious clowns, exotic tigers, marvelous magicians, death-defying pyros and breath-taking aerialists!" Will flashed the audience an award winning smile. "And if you like our show, be sure to join up for our team up with the Meallan and Brothers Carnival in three weeks in Colombus! It will certainly be the best fun you'll have all summer!" The crowd applauded once again. Blaine worried his bottom lip with his teeth. He had totally forgotten to tell Kurt about their annual team up with the carnival. It was the biggest event of the summer for them. Food, rides, side shows, and a grand circus performace- it was a hell of a lot of fun.

As Blaine thought to himself Will introduced the performers. Blaine looked for Kurt, who waved wildly at the crowd. Blaine laughed as Kurt did a cartwheel. The crowd cheered. As Kurt passed the band he blew a kiss. Blaine mimed catching it in his hand and Kurt's eyes sparkled with amusement. Blaine watched the performers retreat and sighed, getting ready to play the music for the acrobatics act next.

 

 

The show sped by quickly and it was soon time for the final act, much to Kurt's pleasure. His spine tingled and his hands shook. He followed his fellow aerialists to stand behind the curtain, waiting to be introduced.

"Now ladies and gentlemen the final act of the night- the Cirque de Joie Arealists! One of our aerialists is newly recovered from a terrifying fall, so I remind you that absolutely no flash photography is allowed! Please give them all a warm welcome!" Kurt flushed at Will mention of him. Mike winked at him before they all entered the center ring, the crowd applauding wildly. They took their positions and waited for the music to begin.

Kurt closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He could do this. He could do this. Suddenly he heard his cue. His eyes flashed to Blaine from across the ring. Blaine smiled at him as he played the synthesizer and Kurt nodded before approaching the silk. He was going to be amazing.

And amazing he was. Blaine felt a swell of pride as he watched Kurt perform like he'd never even broken his arm. His grace, his beauty. Kurt didn't miss a single move. Blaine smiled to himself and looked over to the crowd, who was awestruck at the act. Blaine thought back to Kurt's sessions of teaching him how to use the silks and his smile grew even wider. If he had any say so, he was going to do that to a crowd one day. One day, he will be the one to absolutely astonish and amaze a crowd of people.

One day.

 

 

Kurt sat in front of the dressing mirror he had occupied before the show, removing make-up and jewels. He couldn't stop himself from smiling, even though it was a bitch to remove the body jewels. They clung to your skin like leeches.

Blaine walked into the small area where the performers prepared themselves, dodging around those putting up props and hurrying to return costumes to their racks. He looked around, trying to spot his boyfriend in the mess. He finally saw him sitting in front of a mirror, smiling to himself as he pried off jewels from his face.

The curly haired boy walked up to Kurt from behind and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. Kurt looked at Blaine reflection in the mirror.

"Hey," he said with a smile. Blaine turned the chair, which was one of those that rotated, and planted a kiss on Kurt's lips. Kurt gasped in surprise and pressed his lips to Blaine's before laughing. He pulled away and looked at the boy standing in front of him.

"What was that for?" he asked. Blaine smiled and pulled Kurt up, pulling him into a hug.

"You were breathtaking out there!" he exclaimed. Kurt's cheeks burned.

"Aw, why thank you," he said, pulling away from Blaine's embrace, but holding both of Blaine's hands in his. "So, what is this team up thing with a carnival? You haven't mentioned anything about that." Blaine blushed and looked down.

"It's an annual thing. We take two weeks off to improve our acts and then we travel to Columbus and set up with the Meallan and Brothers Carnival. It's pretty much the greatest thing we do all summer." Blaine watched a smile spread across Kurt's face.

"This is perfect!" Kurt exclaimed loudly. Everyone in the tent stopped what they were doing and looked at Kurt and Blaine curiously. Blaine cleared his throat and waved at them all to go back to what they were doing.

"Um, what's perfect?" Blaine asked in a hushed tone. Kurt looked at him like he was stupid.

"We have two weeks to come up with a routine that you can be in!" Blaine actually face-palmed. Kurt just looked at Blaine excitedly.

"Kurt, I can't learn how to be an aerialist in two weeks!" Blaine hissed. "There's no way-"

"We'll find a way," Kurt said defiantly. "Besides, I've already picked out a song and everything." Blaine furrowed his brow. This was not going to end well. Blaine let go of Kurt's hands to rub his forehead. Kurt sat back down in his seat and crossed his arms tightly across his chest.

"Well?" he asked. Blaine just looked at the determined boy. Blaine admired how ambitious Kurt could be, but sometimes he just wanted to shake him. There was a pause.

"...what's the song?"


	25. Chapter 25

The Cirque wrapped up the rest of the week uneventfully. The shows were as amazing as always. Kurt had fully recovered and was better than ever on the silks. However, Blaine was nervous as ever as the week approached its end, closer and closer to their two week break. Normally, he'd be rejoicing at the opportunity of a small vacation since he wasn't a performer, but now...

"Excuse me?" Will asked with a ludicrous expression. "You want him to do  _what_?"

"Perform with me, with us," Kurt said, hand gesturing to the other Aerialists standing outside the big top. Blaine stood awkwardly by Kurt, unable to look Will directly in the eye. Will just stared at the aerialists as if they'd grown two heads and lizard tails.

"He's never performed a day in his life! Let alone on silks!" Will exclaimed. He wasn't being unkind, but he honestly didn't understand where this whole idea came from. Well, that wasn't entirely truthful. He'd noticed the longing in Blaine's eyes since he joined the Cirque, but he never thought he'd act upon it! Will had the sneaking suspicion that this was all Kurt's doing. Kurt's eyebrow arched to his hairline and Blaine wanted nothing more than to turn into a small, insignificant blade of grass. Mike, Brittany and Santana stood behind Kurt like a shield though. He was stuck.

"I can teach him!" Kurt pressed. "I  _have_  been teaching him. He's a fast learner and I know he'd be able to do at least the basics by three weeks!"

"But the crowd doesn't want to see basics," Will argued. "They want to see advanced aerial work. Nobody's going to be wowed by a boy climbing up and down a silk!" Blaine blushed and crossed his arms, trying to recite the entirety of "Dear Old Shiz" in his head as a distraction.

"I can create a routine that will be breathtaking, I assure you," Kurt said heatedly. "Please, why won't you give him a chance?" Will blinked and stared, mouth open at Kurt. His demeanor fell and his shoulders slumped. He looked from Kurt to Blaine, who froze when he felt Will's gaze upon him.

"Blaine, what do you think about all of this?" Will asked. Blaine looked at Will like a deer caught in the headlights. He stumbled over his words as he tried to find the right thing to say.

"Well, I've always wanted to perform..." Blaine trailed off. He shuffled his feet. "And Kurt's been teaching me so..." Will's eyes softened and his lips turned up in a small smile. Blaine's heart thumped hard against his ribcage.

"If you really want to do this Blaine, then I won't stop you. You deserve it," Will said, clasping Blaine on the shoulder. "Just, don't hurt yourself." Kurt let out a victorious cry and fist-pumped in the air as Brittany clapped excitedly. Santana let out the smallest of smiles and Mike seemed pretty smug with the change of events. Blaine just blinked at Will before smiling, relief flooding his body.

"Th-thank you so much!" he stuttered out. Will just laughed heartily and walked away, twirling his cane in his hand. Blaine whirled around to Kurt, who grabbed his face and planted a sloppy, excited kiss on his lips. Blaine wound his fingers in Kurt's hair, deepening the kiss until Kurt was clutching his face like there was nothing left to hold on to in the world. Every feeling Blaine was having- excitement, relief, love- was poured into that kiss. He heard Santana say a rather vulgar comment but he ignored it. The only thing he was aware of was kissing Kurt. When he pulled away Kurt looked utterly shocked. He looked at Blaine with wide eyes and smiled, pulling the shorter boy into a hug.

"This is going to be amazing," Kurt said as he clutched Blaine to him. "I can tell.  _We're_ going to be amazing." Blaine smiled and buried his face into Kurt's neck, planting a kiss on the pale flesh.

"We better start practicing as soon as possible," Blaine said. Kurt separated himself from Blaine, arms around his waist.

"I have the perfect idea for costumes!" Kurt exclaimed. "Just think- purple and green. I'm thinking green for you and purple for me, with ribbon and glitter and-"

"Kurt," Blaine warned. Kurt shut up and just smiled.

"Right, routine is more important right now," Kurt said sheepishly. Blaine just shook his head and smiled. He loved it when Kurt became over-excited like this. "So, when do you want to start?"

"Soon," Blaine said. "The moment we get to Columbus." Kurt smiled and kissed Blaine on the cheek.

"Okay. Get ready for the hardest two weeks of your life."

 

 

When they arrived in Columbus, Ohio it couldn't have been drearier. Rain drizzled from the sky like tears from a melancholic mime. Slate colored clouds hung low and rolled across the atmosphere. Positively everything seemed to be painted in shades of grey- the cars, the buildings, the people.

When they reached the hotel they were staying in, Kurt was obviously confused.

"A hotel?" he asked, hesitant hope rising in his voice. He hadn't had a decent shower in weeks, not to mention a comfortable bed since he ran away from home. Blaine, who sat in front of him in Mercedes's truck turned to look at the boy behind him.

"Yeah," Blaine confirmed. "When we do this team up we usually stay in a hotel since we'll be here for almost four weeks." Kurt just stared at Blaine like he was seeing God for the first time, wide eyed and full of wonder.

"Oh my god," he said. "I'm taking a shower as soon as we get our key cards." Mercedes cackled in the driver's seat.

"You'll have to fight your way to the bathroom," she said. "That's the first thing on all of our minds right now." She pulled into a vacant parking spot near the large trailer boasting _Cirque de Joie_  that Will always drove. The ringmaster jumped out of the trailer and waited patiently for the rest of the caravan to arrive.

A smaller red struck pulled up next to Mercedes's, Finn behind the wheel. Quinn and Sam waved to Mercedes, Kurt, and Blaine. Blaine waved back with a smile, but Kurt wasn't paying attention. All he cared about at the moment was his shower. Will quietly motioned for everyone to get out of their cars. Blaine saw Tina, Mike, Santana, Brittany, Rachel and Artie get out of a black van across the parking lot. The rest of the crew seemed to have already vacated their vehicles and headed to the hotel lobby. Kurt bounced on his heels as he waited for everyone to gather around Will.

"Okay guys, this is how the rooms will be set up," Will said. "Rachel, Tina, Mercedes in one room-" he handed Mercedes their room cards, "Quinn, Santana, and Brittany in the one next to them." He handed Quinn their cards and motioned for the girls to head off. Mercedes waved to Kurt and Blaine before briskly walking towards the hotel, determined to snag the bathroom.

"Now for the boys," Will said. "Puckerman, Finn, Blaine, you all are together. Artie, Sam, Kurt, and Mike, you are together." He handed key cards to Mike and Blaine. Blaine looked down at the cards with disappointment. Too bad Kurt wasn't rooming with him, but at least they'd be beside each other.

Kurt took one look at Mike before swiping a card from his hand.

"I'll be in the shower if you need me," he said to Blaine before practically flying towards the hotel. Blaine laughed and cordially handed room keys to Puck and Finn.

"You guys go ahead," Blaine said. "I'm going to help unload everyone's stuff." Finn and Puck just nodded before heading off to their room. As Blaine turned to begin unloading the trailer he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh no you don't," Will said, stopping Blaine in his tracks. "You can take a few hours to relax. Everyone can unload their own stuff." Blaine blushed and grabbed his bag full of clothes, stuffed animals, and keepsakes along with his guitar. Will gave him a knowing look as Blaine walked towards the hotel, searching for him room.

It turns out they were on the second story of the small hotel. Blaine walked across the balcony in front of the rooms until he found the one that matched the number on his card. He could hear Finn and Puck conversing behind the peeling forest green door.

Blaine set down his guitar into order to place the card in the slot. He watched the little light turned green and he twisted the handle. Cold air instantly rushed to meet him as soon as he opened the door. He shivered from the contrast of temperature. As Blaine walked into the room, the smell that was distinctly hotel room flooded his nostrils. He inhaled and sighed. The room was rather small with two beds and a table between them with a green and gold lamp. The walls were an off white and sported indistinctive watercolors paintings. He could see his reflection in the mirror that hung over the two sinks in the back of the room beside the door to the bathroom. When his eyes landed on one of the two beds in the room, he couldn't help but grin.

"Hey, Blaine," Puck greeted from his position on the other bed closest to the bathroom. He lay on his stomach as he watched the TV sitting across from him on the dark wood dresser. Finn sat on the floor, back leaned against the same bed. They seemed to be thoroughly entertained by some animated comedy.

"Hey," Blaine said back with a smile. He placed his bag and guitar in a rather ugly plum-colored armchair in front of the window and walked towards the unoccupied bed, staring down at its magnificence. He stood for a moment or two before finally just deciding " _screw it_ " and flopped down on the fluffy mattress. All of the muscles in his body relaxed as he bounced lightly on the bed. He kicked off his converse and wormed in way under the covers, savoring the feel of the fabric. In no time, Blaine had fallen sleep.

 

 

Steam swirled around the small bathroom as Kurt thoroughly shampooed his hair, massaging his scalp and working the substance from root to tip. Soapy foam trailed down his neck, back, and chest. The scent of hotel-brand shampoo wafted through the air. Normally Kurt wouldn't touch the stuff, be he was desperate for some real cleanliness.

The hot water rushed down Kurt's skin, relaxing muscles and turning pale skin pink from the temperature. Kurt sighed.

This was nice.

The aerialist washed the shampoo out of his hair and worked conditioner into a lather in his palms, spreading it evenly through his locks. Eyelids closed over glasz eyes, water dripping from long eyelashes. Suddenly there was a loud knocking on the door.

"Okay Kurt, I know you like to be clean but Artie and I would really like to wash the stench of circus folk off of us," Mike shouted over the sound of rushing water. "So if you don't mind, hurry up and wash your ass!" Kurt groaned. He was just getting used to the scalding water. He washed the conditioner out of his hair, reveling at the softer, lighter feel of his brunette locks. Cold air immediately sent goose bumps down Kurt's arms and a shiver up his spine when he turned the water off. Almost blindly, he reached for a towel. He wrapped one towel around his head and used the other to dry off his body, frowning at the stickiness of water that refused to leave his flesh. This is why he hated hotel bathrooms- the lack of ventilation.

"Kurt!" Mike yelled again, banging on the door. He reached to rap his knuckles on the wood again but stopped in his tracks when it opened to reveal a very disgruntled teenager.

"I'm. Out." Kurt said in a clipped tone, towel wrapped around his waist. Mike just blinked and laughed nervously.

"Well, I'll just go in then," Mike said, cautiously stepping around Kurt. Kurt sighed and stepped out into the hotel room, shivering because of the air conditioning. Artie had seemed to have left- there was nobody else in the room. Kurt walked over to his bag and rifled through his clothes. He had seen a coffee shop from across the street and he was going to ask Blaine to join him for a cup. His eyes roamed over the many choices of outfits he had. Kurt bit his lip, looking until his eyes landed on a lovely blue and green silk scarf. A smile graced his face as he picked it up, remembering where it came from. He quickly grabbed a navy v-neck tee, a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, and a cream colored military style jacket with gold buttons.

 

 

"Dude, wake up. You're boyfriend is standing at the door," a voice said in Blaine's ear. Blaine shifted but remained horizontal on the bed, clutching a pillow. Suddenly a fairly fluffy yet hard surface came into contact with the side of his head.

"What the hell?!" Blaine exclaimed, shooting up from the bed, throwing the pillow in a direction he hoped his attacker was in. Turns out he threw the pillow opposite of where his attacker was standing and instead hit Finn in the back of the head.

" _Blaine_!"

"Oh, sorry!"

"Kurt's waiting for you outside," Puck said as Blaine apoligized. "And he looks like he plans on going somewhere. You better get out there." Blaine just looked at Puck for a moment before sliding off the bed, sock feet dragging across the carpet. He squinted at the muted white light of a cloudy day as he opened the door.

Kurt severely contrasted with Blaine in his wardrobe. Blaine was wearing a pair of old faded jeans with a dark red cotton Henley with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and sock feet, whereas Kurt donned a pair of perfectly fitting dark wash denim jeans with a fitted v-neck tee, cream military jacket with gold buttons and white boots. Around his slender neck was a blue and green scarf that looked familiar to Blaine. It was the one Blaine had gotten for him to make him feel better after the horrible episode in the soda fountain. Kurt's hair was perfectly styled and brushed away from his face. Blaine was sure his was all over the place and sticking out at strange angles.

"Well, you look ready to go somewhere," Blaine said, rubbing his eyes. Kurt arched his eyebrow and smiled.

"Would you like to get some coffee with me?" Kurt asked, arms crossed leisurely across his chest. Blaine blushed.

"Of course. Just uh, give me a moment to fix myself." Kurt rolled his eyes and walked up to Blaine, petting down his hair.

"You look fine," Kurt said, head cocking to the side. "Just get some shoes on. The coffee shop is just right across the street." Blaine sighed and straightened his shirt, which had become wrinkled as he slept. He stepped inside to grab his grey converse and pulled them on, tying the laces tightly. Kurt waited patiently outside, examining his reflection in the window.

"Ready," Blaine declared. Kurt smiled and held out his hand. Blaine took it immediately, Kurt's hand warm in his.

Kurt led Blaine down the steps and into the parking lot. Blaine looked across the street to see a small establishment called the Crescent Moon Café. The sign was wooden and the name was carved in looping script, painted white. The background was navy with yellow stars and a crescent moon serving as the C in the name.

As they walked in a bell jingled and the smell of coffee tingled at Blaine's senses. There were few people sitting at the round tables near the bay window by the door, save for a rather old lady reading a novel while nursing a cookie and a cup of decaf coffee, a younger man typing away at a laptop as he sipped a caramel macchiato, and two college girls chatting happily with their frappes. Blaine eyed the chocolate biscottis at the counter as they approached a boy of about eighteen with brown hair, a freckled nose, emerald colored eyes in a in a navy apron. Blaine spied a curious pin on the boy's apron in the shape of a pair of gold spectacles with jewels instead of glass, the colors of the boy's eyes.

"What can I get for you guys today?" he asked, hands on the counter. Both boys scanned the chalk board above the counter that displayed all of the different orders in pink and green chalk.

"I'd like a grande nonfat mocha," Kurt said.

"And I'd like a medium drip and one of those chocolate biscottis, please," Blaine asked with a smile. The boy nodded and walked off to the array of coffee machines to prepare their orders. Kurt stole a sideways glance at Blaine, who was smiling to himself.

"What are you thinking about?" Kurt asked. Blaine blinked and looked at Kurt, smiling sheepishly.

"Well, about you and about the show," he admitted. Kurt smiled crookedly.

"I can't wait to begin practice," he said. "I have the perfect idea for this one part where we'll both slide down the silk and do a dance routine." Blaine smiled and butterflies hovered pleasantly in his stomach.

"You know, you never told me what song we're performing to." Kurt opened his mouth just as the barista walked back up to the counter, coffee orders in hand.

"That'll be seven fifty please," the boy said. Blaine automatically reached in his pocket but Kurt swatted his hand away.

"My treat," he said, handing the boy a ten dollar bill. His eyes landed on a jar by the cash register for a donation to keep arts in the schools. The boy quickly handed Kurt his change as Blaine grabbed both of their coffees and his biscotti. Kurt smiled at the boy and rolled up his dollars and coins and put them in the relatively empty jar. The boy just looked from the jar to Kurt, a grin spreading across his face.

"Thanks man," the boy said. Kurt smiled and nodded before following Blaine to an empty table by the man typing away at his computer. They sat across from each other. The table was made out of wrought iron and painted black. There was a small menu on it along with sugar packets. Blaine set Kurt's coffee in front of him and took a seat, scooting close to the table's edge.

"That was cool," Blaine said as Kurt sat down in his chair. "Putting your change in the jar I mean."

"Anything to help," Kurt said with a smile as he wrapped his fingers around his coffee. Blaine just smiled as he uncapped his coffee and dunked his biscotti.

"So, speaking of arts,  _what is the song we're performing to_?"

"Well, let's just say that it's rather... _wicked_."


	26. Chapter 26

People busily bustled on the streets of Columbus, Ohio. Some were headed to work, others were taking a walk, and some were not quite sure what they were doing.

One family quickly strutted down the sidewalk. A blonde woman, who was rather large and piggish, held the hand of a small boy no older than ten. He looked around with wide-eyed wonder at the city, not being able to see much due to the roundness of his aunt and his uncle, who walked briskly beside the large woman, balding head glistening in the sun. Suddenly a colorful post caught the boy's eye and he stopped in his tracks.

"Oo, a circus!" the boy exclaimed, running up to a poster hanging on a chain-link fence. He could see a large yellow and red tent positioned a ways away from where he was. The boy's aunt huffed and grabbed at the boy's hand.

"The circus isn't even open yet," she snapped, trying to lead the boy away. "It won't be until the week after next." The boy's face fell. Why so long? He could already taste the cotton candy and hear the music box-like melodies he associated with the mysterious, colorful and exciting circus. He didn't want to wait.

"Can we go see it then?" he asked, attempting to look as pitiful as possible with his big, round blue eyes. His aunt sighed and tugged at his arm again.

"Only if you promise to not make your aunt late for her lunch with your mommy. Now come on!" She tugged once more and this time the boy followed, stealing on last glance at the big tent before disappearing into the crowd.

Meanwhile, Blaine decided that learning how to be an aerialist was the worst decision he's ever made in his life.

"No, Blaine! Straighten your arms!" Kurt scolded. Blaine's muscles screamed, his body trembled and perspiration rolled down his face, neck and chest. It was unbearably hot in the city. Blaine had long since shed his shirt and practiced only in athletic shorts. Kurt wore a skin-tight tank top and leggings. He too was covered in sweat.

"I'm trying Kurt," Blaine whined from his position about halfway up the silks. Both of his arms were outstretched, clutching onto the silks. He had his toes wound around each side, barely holding on. Kurt stared up at him, arms crossed.

"You've got to try a little harder," Kurt pushed. "C'mon. Let's take a break and try again later." Blaine sighed with relief. He brought the silks together like he was taught and slowly descended. As his feet touched the ground he stumbled. His limbs felt like jelly.

Kurt walked up to the exhausted boy and wound his arm around his waist, helping him to a small metal bench. He planted a kiss on Blaine's forehead before handing him his water bottle.

"Do you think I'll be able to get this down before opening night?" Blaine asked skeptically. "Be honest." Kurt sat down beside him and rested his elbows on his legs.

"Honestly, yes. But it's going to be a lot of hard work," Kurt said. "But I know you'll get there." Blaine smiled to himself and gulped down the ice cold water. The two boys sat in silence, their labored breathing the only sound in the tent. They still had one more hour of practice to themselves before Kurt had to switch off and practice with the other aerialists. Will had agreed to do two different aerialist performances- the first would be Kurt and Blaine, then Kurt and the other aerialists. Kurt was a stressed out as it is, but now he was trying to balance two different aerial routines, one of which he had to choreograph himself, and design the costumes that he and Blaine would be wearing. He'd been taking to spending his afternoons with Emma, the head costume coordinator, trying to find fabrics and designs that would go perfectly with their performance.

"How are the costumes coming along?" Blaine asked Kurt, who had zoned out, lost in thought.

"They're going well. We already have yours planned out," Kurt said, snapping out of his musings. "It's fairly simple, but effective. We're having a hard time with mine though. I know which costume I want to base it on, but the design is rather strange."

"How so?" Blaine asked. Kurt looked at him and gave him a sly smile.

"You're not going to get to see it until the dress rehearsal," he said with a wicked glint in his eyes. Blaine cocked his head and pouted.

"That's hardly fair, don't you think?" he asked, lying his head on Kurt's shoulder. Kurt resisted the pleasant humming in his stomach at the contact.

"I don't think so. I just want you to be surprised," Kurt said, gently nudging Blaine's head with his shoulder. "Now up. We only have fifty minutes left of rehearsal today before we have to turn the tent over to Mike, Santana, and Brittany." Blaine groaned and slowly rose from his seat, muscles tensing painfully.

 

 

As soon as practice was over, Blaine gave Kurt a quick kiss before flopping down on a nearby mat that was currently not being used. The brunette couldn't help but laugh as he watched Blaine go from awake to asleep in less than five seconds.

"Hey, Kurt," greeted Mike as he entered the tent, followed by Brittany and Santana. "How was practice with Blaine?" Kurt just looked from Mike to the slumbering figure behind him, hands on his hips. Mike chuckled as Brittany turned to Santana and quietly asked "Is he dead?" Kurt just shook his head and stretched his arms, ready for another go at the silks.

"Are you sure you want to jump right into this after practicing all morning?" Mike asked with a concerned look. "I mean, you can take a break if you want to." Kurt shook his head and rubbed chalk onto his hands.

"I'll relax later. Besides, we need to get this done," he said. Mike just shrugged and motioned for Brittany and Santana to join them.

"So, how's Blaine doing with routine?" Mike asked, his eyes moving to look at the still figure again. The boy looked utterly exhausted.

"He's struggling," Kurt said honestly. "But I know he can do it." Mike put a hand on Kurt's arm.

"Is this an objective point of view, or is it just love talking?" Mike asked. Kurt whipped his head around and opened his mouth.

"Now, who said anything about-"

"I know you care about him, Kurt," Mike said. "But don't let your feelings for him blind you to the point of putting him in danger. You of all people know what can happen when something goes wrong." Kurt looked down at his feet, emotions battling each other. Was he just blinded by his feelings? Was he putting Blaine in danger? But Kurt remembered the determination that shown in Blaine's eyes, how he always gave his all at everything he did. No, Kurt wasn't blinded, not at all.

" _Objectively_ , he can do it," Kurt said with conviction. "He works hard. I know he can." Mike could feel emotion roll off of Kurt in waves. He removed his hand from Kurt's arm like he had been burned.

"Alright," Mike said, stepping one of the silks hanging from the ceiling. "Then let's get going, shall we?"

Blaine kept his eyes shut tight, afraid that they'd notice that he wasn't asleep anymore. He couldn't help the smile the tugged at the corners of his lips though. He felt his heart flutter and swell in his chest as he heard Kurt speak- defending him. How did he ever get to lucky to find someone like him? Blaine moved his shoulder a fraction of an inch, hissing softly at the soreness. He decided that it would be a nice time for a nap, so without another thought, Blaine let his dreams overtake him.

 

 

Something nudged at Blaine's shoulder and the first thing he was aware of was something warm wrapped around his waist and pressed into his back. He groaned and fluttered his eyes open.

"Wake up sleepy head," Kurt said in little more than a whisper, his breath tickling Blaine's hear. The raven-haired boy shivered and turned to face Kurt, nearly nose to nose with him. They looked into each others' eyes and pressed their lips together. They both tasted of salt.

"How was practice?" Blaine asked, wrapping his arm around Kurt's waist. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"It was okay- a little hard to concentrate with your snoring." Blaine felt his cheeks burn and Kurt rubbed their noses together in an Eskimo kiss.

"I'm just teasing. You were quiet the whole time," Kurt amended. Blaine chuckled and closed his eyes for a moment, furrowing his brow.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Almost four," Kurt said. "Would you like to go back to the hotel? The clowns are getting ready to practice." Kurt wrinkled his nose in a way that made Blaine's stomach flip.

"Yeah, let's go." Kurt grabbed hold of Blaine's hand and hoisted the boy up as he rose to his feet. Kurt took one whiff of the two of them and grimaced.

"We smell," he said. Blaine sniffed. They didn't just smell- they reeked. Ew.

"Definitely time for a shower then," Blaine said. They walked out of the big top hand in hand, heading towards the tent they hoped Mercedes would be in. Kurt had remembered that she had mentioned something about the fortune teller's tent earlier that day. Sure enough, she was sitting at the table inside, laying out tarot cards.

"Can you read them?" Kurt asked, looking down at the cards. He never understood them, but it was an interesting concept.

"Not really," Mercedes said with a laugh. "I was just looking at them. I like the pictures- they're beautiful." Blaine smiled fondly at her before remembered that he was covered in stinky sweat.

"Can you take us to the hotel? We reek," he said, making a face. Mercedes looked them over and wrinkled her nose.

"Alright, just let me get my bag." The two boys followed her out of the tent, passing by the big top. They heard strange noises coming from within it, but they knew better than to meddle in anything involving the clowns. Blaine was still recovering from the last experience. As they waited patiently for Mercedes to grab her purse from another tent they saw a rather distressed Will stride quickly past them, phone practically glued to his ear.

" _No you can't set the ferris wheel by the tigers_!" he growled angrily into the phone. "You know we can't do that! And for the last time I am  _not_  going to parade my circus around like a bunch of freak shows. They are  _performers_ \- I'm not going to have this argument again." Kurt looked inquisitively at Blaine, who just shook his head.

"Will always argues with the carnival owner," Blaine said quietly as Will began to pace in front of them, face becoming redder and redder with each turn of direction. "They get along fine when they actually get here." Kurt nodded and his heart leapt at the thought. He was excited for the carnival, mostly because carnivals mean rides, and rides mean Ferris wheels. Kurt always wanted to be kissed atop a Ferris wheel, and it seemed like for the first time he would get his wish.

"Okay boys, let's get going!" Mercedes declared as she emerged from the tent. The two boys took one last look at the enraged Will before quickly dashing to Mercedes's truck, eager for a shower.

 

 

"Ah, so much better," Blaine breathed once he stepped out of the bathroom, clad in a soft green t-shirt and khaki shorts. Gone was the uncomfortable stickiness of sweat and his skin felt cool in the air. He walked to the door leading outside and stepped onto the balcony, quickly trotting to the room next door. He and Kurt decided that since Kurt's roommates would be gone until dusk, having decided to explore the city, that Blaine would join Kurt to watch some TV and relax after the morning's grueling practice.

Blaine rapped his knuckles on the green door. There was a shuffling sound before the click of a handle and Kurt standing in the now open door, dressed abnormally down from his usual outfits. He wore only skinny jeans and a fitted white shirt. Kurt smiled and stepped aside, allowing Blaine to come in. Blaine immediately flopped down on the bed closest to the bathroom, knowing this one to be Kurt's. Kurt laughed and laid down beside him, immediately snuggling up the shorter boy.

"This is nice," Blaine commented, winding his arms around Kurt, pulling him close to his chest. Kurt hummed his agreement and rested his forehead on Blaine's collarbone. Blaine inhaled the scent of Kurt's newly washed hair, still wet and pushed out of Kurt's face. Kurt ensnared himself in Blaine's body warmth, scooting closer and closer to him.

"You know, I had a plan," Kurt admitted, face still buried in Blaine's chest. "But I'm too tired to follow through." Blaine buried his nose in Kurt's hair.

"Oh, really?" Kurt blushed.

"Yeah, I mean, we'd have some alone time so..." Kurt trailed off. Blaine blinked and ran his fingers down Kurt's spine.

"Eh, too tired to make out. I get it." Kurt smiled to himself and craned his neck to plant a kiss on Blaine's neck. "I'm impressed that our teenage hormones are overcome by such a simple thing as being tired."

"It's extraordinary," Kurt agreed. "We should market it to the world- then maybe we'd stop having so many teenage pregnancies." They both chuckled and Kurt pulled away to scoot himself up the bed until he was eye to eye with Blaine. He pressed his lips to Blaine's in a soft kiss, just marveling at the feel of Blaine's lips touching his. Blaine ran his hand up from Kurt's back to side of his face, caressing his cheek with his thumb before moving it back down again to rest on Kurt neck. He could feel the boy's pulse under his hand, wild and thrumming. Blaine pressed his lips a little bit harder on Kurt's, testing the waters.

Kurt inhaled sharply through his nose, nervously moving his arm to rest on Blaine's shoulder. Blaine smiled against Kurt's lips and nibbled at Kurt's lower lip, sucking on it gently. Kurt made a sound akin to a desperate puppy and squeezed his eyes shut, hand moving to Blaine's curls.

Blaine ran his tongue along Kurt's lips. Kurt opened them and moaned quietly as Blaine's tongue explored his mouth, running along teeth, his own tongue, anything it could reach. Kurt's grip on Blaine's curls tightened and Blaine moaned into Kurt's mouth, pressing his body closer to Kurt's.

Kurt gently removed his mouth from Blaine's, looking into warm hazel eyes. Blaine's eyes gazed into his soul and he shivered, body buzzing in sensation. Blaine felt the same way, wanting nothing more than to kiss Kurt forever. Blaine looked into Kurt's eyes before moving his lips up Kurt's jaw in a ghosting trail, barely touching the porcelain flesh. Kurt's breath hitched as Blaine trailed his lips down his neck and lapped at the spot just above Kurt's collarbone, licking it before gently blowing on it.

"Blaine..." Kurt whispered, shivering. Blaine then began to suck on Kurt's neck, making the boy below him wiggle as sensation shot through his body. Blaine's heart thumped hard against his ribcage as he urged Kurt to lie on his back, guiding him with his hands. Kurt gulped and moved until his back was flat against the mattress, Blaine staring down at him from above. Kurt reached up and placed his hand on Blaine's neck to pull him down for another kiss.

"So much for being tired," Kurt muttered before smashing Blaine's lips against his.

 


	27. Chapter 27

The carnival finally seemed to have come. Kurt arrived at the site late one morning to find a giant Ferris wheel looming above him, casting a shadow over the circus. The Meallan and Brothers had arrived late in the evening the day before and had already begun to set up the rides that would be open to the public in a week's time. Kurt's heart raced as he looked up at the tall wheel, imagining what the city would look like from the top.

"Big, isn't it?" Blaine asked, putting his arm around Kurt's waist. Kurt nodded and looked to the boy beside him.

"I bet the view is amazing," he said. Blaine smiled.

"Oh, it's spectacular," he said. "But we won't get to see it for a few more days. The manager of the carnival usually lets the Cirque ride all of the rides before we open to the public. It's kind of a way to say thank you to us for helping I guess." Kurt grinned and looked back to the Ferris wheel.

"Well, we'd better get to practice. We've got to get the ending down by the end of the week." The two boys strolled into the circus. Kurt looked around at all of the new faces of the carnival folk that were transporting equipment from place to place. They all waved to Blaine as they passed by. Blaine returned their greetings with a smile, obviously knowing all of them. Kurt smiled to himself. They soon made it to the big top, which was now in the center of the carnival/circus.

"Hey, Blaine?" Kurt said, stopping before they reached the center ring. Blaine looked at Kurt inquisitively. "I forgot to get the water bottles. Could you go get a couple from Mercedes while I set everything up?"

"No problem," Blaine said, kissing Kurt on the cheek. "I'll be right back." Kurt watched Blaine as he walked out of the big top before walking towards the center ring, untangling the silks. As Kurt pulled at the new silks they'd just gotten in (A lovely green and purple combo), he heard footsteps behind him.

"Wow, that was fast-" Kurt started turning around. He stopped when he saw that it wasn't Blaine behind him, but Mike.

"Uh, hey Mike," Kurt said. "What's up?" Mike just shrugged and smiled.

"I was just wondering if I could observe." Kurt swallowed and bit his lip. He wasn't sure if that was the best idea, especially since Blaine had been getting increasingly nervous as opening night became closer and closer.

"Well, I don't know. I don't want to make Blaine nervous right now."

"He won't even know I'm here. To be honest, Will sent me. He's worried that the act won't pull through." Kurt frowned and put his hands on his hips.

"Well, it's nice to know he has such confidence in his performers." Mike winced at the severity of Kurt tone. Suddenly they both heard a distinct whistling that was becoming louder and louder.

"That's Blaine, you'd better either hide or get the hell out of here," Kurt said venomously. Mike nodded and quickly hid himself away behind a stack of boxes. As soon as his head ducked behind the pile Blaine came strolling in with a bottle of water in each hand.

"H2O my dear," Blaine said, handing the chilled bottle to Kurt.

"Thanks," Kurt said. "Let's get started shall we?" Blaine tapped his fingers on the bottle in his hands, looking nervous.

"Right." Kurt gave him a positive look before walking to the silks. Blaine gave a small smile and followed the taller boy. They both set down their water bottles and began to stretch. They'd done this so many times they fell into a graceful routine of outstretched arms and bends as they warmed up their lazy muscles. Every now and then they'd catch each others' eyes and would smile before moving onto their next stretch.

"Okay, let's go from the top and work our way through. Anything we aren't getting along the way we'll make a note of and return to after we've finished," said Kurt with an analytical tone.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Blaine said, already moving to grab hold of his green silk.

"Right," Kurt said. "Five, six, five, six, seven, eight-"

 

 

Mike was thoroughly impressed with Blaine's progress. It seemed that Kurt had infused his own grace into Blaine's body. The way he moved his limbs was like a swan, and Mike couldn't argue that Blaine hadn't been working hard these past weeks. The aerialist felt a swell of pride in his chest for his friend.

He watched Blaine move to wrap the silk around his leg in order to do a basic lean-back and bit his lip as the fabric slipped from the curly-haired boy's hand. There was a yelp and a ' _thump_ ' before Blaine fell, landing spread eagle on the mat. Blaine's thunderous laughter echoed throughout the empty tent and Kurt quickly appeared at his side, fighting the giggles that were bubbling up past his lips. He helped Blaine up and they went on, beginning where they'd left off. It was rather incredible. Mike had never seen a duo act as symbiotically as Kurt and Blaine did.

He couldn't wait to tell Will about what he'd seen. With one last glance, Mike quietly slipped away from the two aerialists.

 

 

"Okay- break," Kurt said breathlessly between his exhaustion and his laughter. Blaine grinned and wrinkled his brow in relief, practically sprinting to his water bottle. He plopped down on the side of the ring, shoulders heaving up and down as he tried to catch his breath. Kurt joined his side and rested his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"How was I?" Blaine asked, almost tentative. Kurt cast his bright eyes up at Blaine, looking at him through his eyelashes.

"Great. Apart from your glorious fall, you've really got it!" Blaine beamed and sighed, resting his head atop Kurt's.

"Maybe I can pull this off after all." Kurt hummed and wrapped his arm around Blaine's, intertwining their fingers. He gave Blaine's hand a tight squeeze before just letting their hands lie between them. Kurt could hear Blaine's thumping heart in his chest.

"Let's get through these messy parts so we can relax," Kurt said, though he made no move to get up. Blaine sighed and stood up, pulling Kurt up with him. They both trudged black to the silks, Kurt grabbing onto the purple one.

"Okay, so I start on the silk and you're on the ground," Kurt said, beginning to ascend the silk. Blaine nodded, understanding where they were in the routine. Kurt began to count as he started his routine on the silks. Blaine was supposed to be "marveling" at Kurt's abilities at this point, so he just watched as Kurt intricately wound the purple silk around his lithe form, sliding from a sharp lean to a split effortlessly. Blaine watched as Kurt wrapped the silk around his waist and his legs, flipping himself upside down. Suddenly bright glasz eyes connected with sparkling hazel and the world seemed to stop spinning. Blaine cocked his head to the side and lifted his hand, stroking the side of Kurt's face. Kurt stopped counting, eyes glued to Blaine's.

Blaine looked from Kurt's eyes to his dangling hair. Blaine chuckled and caressed Kurt's cheek with one hand, brushing at Kurt's hair with the other. Kurt smiled and wound his fingers in Blaine's curls, tugging him closer. Slowly their lips connected in a soft kiss. Blaine couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips as warmth flooded his veins and emotion began to cloud his head. Kurt began to giggle softly and Blaine moved back a little so that they could look at each other. Kurt's face was flushed from excitement and hanging upside down. Blaine looked up at Kurt's feet, which had wound themselves tightly around the silk when they kissed. Kurt moved his head to look up and laughed, letting go of Blaine's curls to flip himself around. As Kurt's toes touched the mat he swayed on his feet, dizzy from the sudden rush of blood from his head.

"Whoa there," Blaine said, grabbing Kurt's shoulders. "I know I'm a great kisser but you've got to get a hold of yourself." Kurt mocked glared at him as he steadied himself.

"Always the snarky one," Kurt said, hand clutching onto Blaine's arm. "Okay, we really need to get to work so I can go lie down somewhere." Blaine pouted, but nodded his head in agreement.

"We can watch a movie later," Blaine suggested. "Maybe get some yummy Chinese food." Kurt smiled.

"I like the way you think."

 

 

The duo finally perfected their routine after two more days. When they weren't practicing, they were sleeping, kissing, or traversing the streets. After a few days the carnival opened its arms to the Cirque family. They were warned not to mess with any of the Carnies, but there was a hint of humor in Will's eyes as he waggled his finger at them.

"Without further adieu, enjoy!" he exclaimed. Kurt clutched onto Blaine's hand and pulled him towards the brightly lit Ferris wheel.

"Not so fast, Kurt!" Blaine exclaimed. "You're going to pull my arm off like that!" Kurt slowed down, but continued on his determined trek for the Ferris wheel.

"I'm sorry, I'm just a little excited," said Kurt. Blaine rolled his eyes.

"Understatement of the day." Kurt stuck out his tongue and continued to pull Blaine along. Blaine looked around, curious as to what his fellow Cirque members were doing. He noticed most of the boys sprinting to the the bumper cars. He didn't even have to ask where Rachel was- he could hear her high screaming as she spun on the casino, constantly being told to shut up by Quinn. Mercedes and Tina could both be seen on the tilt-a-whirl with Mike and Artie.

"Hey Blaine!" the guy operating the Ferris wheel exclaimed. "How've you been?"

"I've been good, Dave," Blaine said with a smile. "Really good. I'd like you to meet someone." Blaine gestured to Kurt. "This is my boyfriend, Kurt. He joined the Cirque this year. He's an aerialist."

"Nice to meet you Kurt," Dave said with a blinding smile. He stuck out his hand for Kurt to shake. Kurt tentatively shook his hand and smiled, feeling nothing but friendliness radiating from him. Suddenly the three boys heard a chorus of people behind them.

"Wait guys, we want to get on too!" Mercedes exclaimed. "We all have to get on the Ferris wheel together!" Kurt laughed as the entire Cirque cast ran up to them, Brittany pushing Artie's chair in front of her.

"Well, let's get all of you guys on then!" Dave said with a laugh. "After you gentlemen." Dave stopped the wheel from rotating and unlatched the safety bar from the mint green seat. Kurt bit his lip excitedly and sat down. Blaine joined him, sitting as close to Kurt as possible. Both boys were comfortably snug inside the seat. Dave pushed the bar back down, securing them in. Dave smiled to them both before he walked back over to the control panel and pressed a button. Suddenly the wheel lurched and Kurt squealed, grabbing for Blaine hand. They rode upwards until the next seat was at the bottom, awaiting its next occupant. Blaine looked at Kurt.

"Are you alright?" he asked with a furrowed brow. Kurt nodded, smiling nervously at Blaine.

"Just fine. I was just surprised by the sudden jerk." Blaine squeezed Kurt hand and smiled at him.

"This is going to be awesome, trust me."

Dave continued to load people onto seats. In no time, Kurt and Blaine found themselves hovering high above the carival/circus.

"Wow," Kurt said breathlessly. The lights of all the rides glowed brilliantly in the night. Bright yellows, pinks, and oranges gleamed and whirled below. Kurt looked over to the city, twinkling in the inky black sky.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Blaine asked. Kurt tore his eyes from the brilliant sight and looked at Blaine.

"It's wonderful," Kurt said. Blaine licked his lips and leaned towards Kurt. Kurt smiled in excitement. As their lips touched, the Ferris wheel lurched again. Kurt yelped and swore as Blaine bursted into a fit of laughter. The Ferris wheel was moving faster than Kurt thought it would.

"This isn't as romantic as I thought it would be," Kurt said through gritted teeth, one hand gripping onto the safety bar for dear life, the other clutching onto Blaine's hand as they descended quickly to the ground before being whisked high into the air once again.

"The view is still pretty incredible. But I agree, I don't think we should try to kiss again while we're on here," Blaine said with a smirk. They enjoyed the rest of the ride in silence, listening to the other Cirque members' comments as they rotated 'round and 'round. When they finally were able to get off, Kurt gave Dave a nervous smile and stumbled his way off the ride. Blaine had never seen Kurt look more ungraceful in his life.

"Laugh and die hobbit boy," Kurt said bitingly, trying to straighten himself back up. Blaine bit his lip and crossed his arms.

"Can't I revel in the fact that you're more uncoordinated than me just this once?" Kurt glared with piercing eyes.

" _No_ , you cannot." Blaine said and grabbed Kurt's hand, kissing the back of it softly.

"Okay Grouchy, let's go find more rides to addle your brain."

After riding enough spinning rides to make an elephant puke, Kurt demanded they take a break.

"We can do this again tomorrow night when my brain isn't about to dislodge from my spine," Kurt said, plopping down on a nearby bench. Blaine shook his head in amusement and sat down beside the disgruntled boy.

"Alright, but you do know that tomorrow is the last night we have off." Kurt blinked and looked at Blaine, realization creeping up his face. His eyes began to widen as the blood rushed out of his face.

"Oh, no! I have to put the finishing touches on my costume and we haven't quite gotten that set of counts down yet and I don't even know what I'm going to do with your hair-"

"Kurt!" Blaine exclaimed, grabbing the sides of Kurt's face. "It's going to be alright. If you start freaking out now, I won't have anyone to anchor me down tomorrow night. I need you to be calm." He looked at Kurt in earnest. The brunette took a deep breath and sighed, placing his hands on Blaine's.

"You're right. I just had a momentary lapse of composure. I'm fine now." Blaine smiled and leaned close to Kurt's face.

"We'll both be amazing. You're going to wow the crowd tomorrow night, and I get to be there right along with you." Kurt's eyes fluttered at their close proximity.

"You'll wow them too. I love you, Blaine." Blaine smiled softly, bringing his lips so close to Kurt's that they barely touched.

"I love you too." They kissed under the bright light of the Ferris wheel.

 


	28. Chapter 28

Will walked quietly around the big top, scrutinizing every little detail carefully and making sure they had everything they needed for the grand opening tonight. It was early morning and the air was cool. The carnival was set to open at twelve, so the Cirque only had a little bit of time to themselves before the area was flooded with curious and excited patrons.

The Ringmaster walked past the center ring, looking up to make sure they had the proper silks in place. He eyed the gold and red ones his star aerialists were using for the finale, but he also saw the purple and green ones. He smiled to himself. He'd seen the boys' performance yesterday evening. The entire Cirque was wowed by their chemistry and their stunts. Will had never felt more proud of Blaine than he had at that moment. Proud of the scared, lonely little boy who'd grown before his eyes and found a place of acceptance and love.

Snapping out of his reverie, Will turned on his heel to check on the clown props, tucked away in a large box. His mind strayed once again to thoughts of tonight. It was going to be the best show the Cirque de Joie had ever put on; there was no doubt about that. His heart swelled with pride. The talent in these kids was simply amazing. He only wished he hadn't met these kids in such poor circumstances such as what happened with Kurt and Blaine. Still, he was grateful he was able to give them a home and an outlet in which to channel their energy and creativity. It was never really about the money. Lord knows circus folk don't make that much, especially since it's a seasonal job. Will had always been interested in helping those in need- that's why at one point he wanted to be a teacher. But those dreams were dashed and somehow he ended up the Ringmaster of the Cirque de Joie.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

"Alright," he said quietly to himself, quite satisfied with his observations. He dreaded the thought of having all the performers buzzing around him until opening time. "Time to wake up the world."

 

 

When Blaine woke up, his first thought was that he was hungry. The next was that he was quite cold, his comforter missing from its previous location tucked around his chest and shoved further down the bed. It wasn't until he noticed his foot tangled up in said comforter that he remembered what he had to do that night. Like a compressed spring that had finally been released he bolted out of bed, accidentally bumping his hip against the bedside table with a loud ' _thwump_ '. He looked to his roommates, who were still snoring peacefully in the early morning and sighed. They were calm as can be, the adrenaline of a first performance long worn off.

The curly haired boy sighed and walked towards the sink that was outside the door to the bathroom. He turned the shiny, silver handle and cupped his hands under the faucet, letting the cool clear water pool into them. Blaine gently splashed his face and shivered as the water ran down his chin, down his neck, wetting the collar of his t-shirt. Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door.

Blaine looked at the door through the reflection in the mirror, wondering who would be as crazy as him to be up this early. Quickly he grabbed the white towel that was hanging on a silver ring on the wall and patted his face with it. The smell of fresh linen flooded his nostrils and he inhaled, the scent calming to his senses. There was another knock on the door.

"Just a minute," he muttered to himself, to wary of waking Finn and Puck to call out to whoever the knocker was. He set down the towel on the sink and turned on the ball of his foot, trudging to the green door. He turned the knob and cautiously opened it. Blaine's hazel eyes fell on the sight of one Kurt Hummel, bright eyed and holding a cup of coffee in each hand.

"I heard a loud thump," Kurt said with a shrug. "I figured it was either you or Finn so, taking a leap of faith, I brought coffee." Kurt held up one of the cups. Blaine could see the steam curling up from the holes in the lid and the savory smell of hazelnut.

"I love you," Blaine said with a smile, taking the coffee cup from Kurt. The warmth made his fingers tingle, a tingle which spread up his arms and through his body. Kurt's eyes sparkled and he smiled, motioning for Blaine to join him outside. Blaine looked over his shoulder at his sleeping roommates and stepped out onto the cold concrete, gently shutting the door behind him. He looked out into the parking lot of the hotel and then out into the tall buildings of the city. In that moment he felt as tiny as a grain of sand. It was humbling.

"Would you like to go to my room?" Kurt asked, winding his fingers around Blaine's. "Artie went down for breakfast already. He went to bed really early last night for some reason, so he got up early this morning- something about having to add finishing touches to his act. Sam went to help him. And you probably know where Mike is."

Of course Blaine knew. Mike was always anal that day of the opening. He felt the need to incessantly hover around the big top, making sure everything was just perfect.

"Yeah, don't remind me," Blaine said with a chuckle. "That'd be great." Kurt led Blaine to his door and let go of Blaine's hand to pull out his key card. He inserted it into the slot and pulled it out quickly, grabbing the handle when the little light turned green.

"How'd you sleep?" Kurt asked once they stepped inside. Blaine shrugged and sat down on the closest bed.

"As good as usual I guess. It's hard to stress out when you're so tired at night." Kurt walked around the bed, past Blaine, and set his coffee on the bedside table before laid down with his head sinking into the plush pillows. He made a motion for Blaine to join him and Blaine gave a chuckle before setting his coffee down on a table by the door and crawling up the bed and flopping down ungracefully, lying on his side to face Kurt. He placed his hand on Kurt's and caressed the top of it lightly with his fingertips.

They lay like that for a while, just staring at each other. Blaine let his mind wander to what would be happening that evening and his stomach flopped unpleasantly. He grimaced at the thought and his heart began to beat at a faster tempo. Kurt seemed to sense this change in mood and scooted closer to Blaine so that their noses touched and looked deep into Blaine's eyes.

"You're going to be great tonight," he said, rubbing his nose against Blaine's in an Eskimo kiss. "I'll be with you every step of the way." Blaine smiled and tightened his hold on Kurt's wrist.

"I'm just afraid I may hurt myself, or really screw up." Kurt furrowed his brow.

"You won't. You should really give yourself more credit- you're the fastest learner I've ever seen and you look positively breath-taking. You belong up there Blaine," Kurt said. Blaine bit his lip, touched by Kurt's words. He leaned in and kissed Kurt's soft, pink lips, body buzzing with adoration.

"I love you," Blaine said. Kurt's eyes sparkled and he moved his hand so that he and Blaine were holding hands.

"I love you too. And we're going to blow the crowd away tonight- together." Blaine smiled and closed his eyes, letting himself just bask in the moment of lying in a bed, holding hands with an amazing boy who made his heart sing and his body vibrate with all the best emotions that being in love had to offer.

Kurt gazed at Blaine, who was lost in his thoughts, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"You know," he said, stroking the back of Blaine's hand with his thumb. "I always thought that love in fairytales was 'happily ever after' and love in real life was just love unrequited, but I've realized that even though I fell for you the moment I saw you, my life has taken a turn for the magical."

Blaine opened his eyes and looked into Kurt's bright blue ones.

"You're amazing," he said. "Seriously. I wish we could just lay here all day."

"Me too, but we've got a show to put on," Kurt said, a hint of regret in his voice. "C'mon, let's go." Kurt pulled Blaine with him off the bed. "We'll grab some breakfast and change before we head off."

 

 

There was a kind of organized chaos about a carnival. Children ran amok, weaving through adult's legs, shoving sweets treats into their mouths and screaming as they whirled on the many disorienting and colorful rides. The sky was bright with sunshine, the perfect day to be out and about. Unfortunately, the real commotion was taking place inside the big top.

Mike was storming this way and that around the center ring, shouting commands every which way in a voice that was one part commanding and three parts bat-shit crazy. The other Cirque performers observed this display in a variety of ways. Quinn just stood by Puck, her lips pursed in displeasure. Rachel was complaining about her wardrobe to Emma, whose face was becoming more and more the shade of her hair as she restrained herself from strangling the petite girl and shoving her down Mike Chang's throat. Finn was just shaking his head, trying to have a lighthearted conversation with Artie and Sam. Santana and Brittany were speaking in hushed tones near the back of the tent, two absorbed in each other to care what the unhinged aerialist had to say. Mercedes and Tina were trying to devise the best way to interrupt Mike's outbursts, which now directed themselves at Will as the exhausted man strolled into the tent.

"Alright Mike, calm yourself!" Will exclaimed, a bit unraveled. "We still have five hours until the show begins and there's absolutely nothing that needs to be done! Go ride a ride and get some fresh air into that head of yours!" Mike raised a finger and began to open his mouth in retort when Tina wrapped her fingers around his arm, gently pulling him away. Mike dropped his hand in defeat and followed Tina out of the tent.

"Well, now that that's over with," Will said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Everyone else needs to go out and enjoy themselves too! There's no point getting stressed out before tonight. Go!" Everyone dispersed, grumbling lightly as they exited the tent. Will breathed a sigh of relief, glad he finally had all of the teens out of his hair. He took a moment to clear his mind and focus on the next tasks he needed to accomplish before the night was upon them. Just as he flopped down to sit on the edge of the ring, though, Blaine and Kurt walked into the tent.

"Out! OUT I SAY!" Will exclaimed, immediately jumping to his feet. Blaine literally jumped at the sudden outburst from the normally calm Ringmaster and Kurt's eyebrows shot to his hairline.

"But-"

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY TENT!" Will yelled, waving his arms in exasperation, face flushed redder than a candied apple. Without another word, the couple darted out of the big top, leaving a flustered Ringmaster to mutter to himself.

"Damn, it's like they have nothing better to do than bother the hell out of me."

Kurt cocked his head at Blaine once they stepped back into the bright summer sun.

"What the hell was that all about?" Blaine shook his head, silently scolding himself.

"Will gets pretty annoyed at us all when we hang around him before the show on days like this. We must have come in just as he sent everyone else away."

"Well, whatever stick he has shoved up his butt he needs to pull it out," Kurt mumbled, still shaken. Blaine laughed and wrapped his arm around Kurt's shoulders.

"He'll be fine by tonight," he assured. "In the meantime, how about the Ferris wheel?"

Kurt groaned loudly.

"Do we have to? How about we partake a less terrifying experience before the big night, something that won't addle my already scrambled brain?" Blaine rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Alright, have it your way. How about we go to the bumper cars and see what entices us from there?"

"Sounds good to me," Kurt said with a cheeky smile. Blaine sighed, but slipped his hand in Kurt's and led them towards their destination, determined to have the best day ever before the sun crept below the horizon and the Cirque de Joie had to light up the world once more.

 

 

It was time.

The Big Top was packed.

The night was loud.

The lights were glowing.

The air crackled with an electric intensity.

The performers were bustling backstage.

It was time.

Blaine shifted nervously in the chair he'd been forced into. The moment he had walked into the Big Top to prepare for the performance he'd been whisked away from Kurt and thrown into a chair stationed in front of one of the dressing tables. He'd been given a (very short) moment to put on his costume and then Quinn had gone to work on his face.

Now she was gently putting on the finishing touches and Blaine stared at his reflection. For a moment he was confused, not connecting that he and the reflection in the mirror were one and the same. After all, this couldn't be him. This boy looked mysterious, alluring. Blaine's eyes examined the reflection. The boy in the mirror's hair was neatly gelled out of his face. His eyes were dark, hazel orbs that had been lined with dark liner, smoldering under thick eyebrows. His nose was sharp and his cheekbones cast shadows on the planes of his face, contoured by the grey powder Quinn had applied there. His skin glimmered with a faint green sheen from a powder that had been dusted over his face and along his arms. His lips were reddened and slick with saliva from being licked constantly by their owner, the product of a nervous habit.

No, this didn't seem like Blaine at all, but it was, and the thought was exhilarating. Blaine appraised his costume, unused to the constricting feeling of the tight fabric. His costume was green, very green. It was a jumpsuit that went down to his ankles and bared his arms. Black ribbon climbed up his left leg in a crossing pattern. The same ribbon was wound around his right arm and also wrapped around his waist, serving as a belt. Most of Blaine's neck was concealed by black collar that had a witchy like fringe around the bottom, akin to the bottom of a witch's skirt. On Blaine's hands were black leather, fingerless gloves.

"You look hot," Quinn commented, amused at Blaine checking himself out. Blaine snorted and shook his head.

"This is surreal," he said, looking at his face in the mirror again. "I look seasick."

"Always a critic," Quinn said, rolling her eyes. "You're done. I need to go do my own make-up. See you in a few." The blond turned to leave when Blaine rested his hand on her arm.

"Thank you, Quinn," Blaine said. "I look awesome." Quinn blinked and then smiled before walking away. Blaine watched her for a moment before turning to gaze at himself once more.

"Well, aren't we looking narcissistic," Mercedes said from behind, decked out in a fabulous green and gold ensemble.

"Hey, you'd be staring at yourself constantly too if you were green," Blaine said. Mercedes laughed and looked Blaine up and down, taking in his costume.

"Well, you look great," she said. Blaine blushed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Not as great as Kurt's going to look, probably. Where is he anyway?" Mercedes shrugged and adjusted the bejeweled top hat that was perched atop her head.

"I don't know, but he should be finishing up soon." Blaine frowned, but nodded. He really wanted to see Kurt right now, see if he looked just as strange and otherworldly in his own costume. Mercedes gave him a wave, which he mimicked, before she walked off to do her own thing. Blaine sighed, leaning back in the chair. He thought back to the heartfelt speech Will had given them all during dinner. Blaine smiled at the memory of a choked up Will declaring how proud he was of everyone and how they were "the best damn bunch of kids he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing". With a cheer everyone raised a glass to toast their Ringmaster. Blaine had made eye contact with Will once they all lowered their glass to their lips and the man winked at him. Blaine couldn't help but smile and nod back.

Snapping back to the present, Blaine noticed that it was getting close to opening time. He could hear the audience's chatter, muffled and distorted, but still so very present. Suddenly he felt as if he couldn't breathe, like a silk was being wrapped tightly around his heart squeezing harder and _harder-_

"Hey." The gentle sound make Blaine jerk out of his reverie, spinning around to find the source of the noise. What he saw left him positively breathless.

There stood Kurt, looking positively  _sinful_  in his costume. The whole thing was in shades of fuchsia and pink. The top half was a  _very_  fitted coat with short sleeves and a bottom that flared the tiniest bit at the hips. The collar of the top dipped down so that there was a fair amount of collar bone exposed, highlighted with shimmering powder. The gold buttons under the collar trailed down in center to the left, off-center. The pants were unbearably tight and clung to Kurt's form like a second skin. On his right arm he wore a translucent sleeve that extended from his bicep down his arm to hook around his middle finger. The fabric glittered in the dim yellow light. Blaine looked at Kurt's face. The boy's hair was swept off of his forehead neatly. Kurt's cheekbones were highlighted with blush and his eyes shimmered with powder and excitement.

"You look..." Blaine trailed off. Kurt seemed as equally speechless. The boys' gazes locked suddenly and they just stared into each others' eyes, unable to speak.

"Hey, no eye-sex this close to opening!" Santana commented loudly as she passed by. There was a chorus of groans and a few badly hidden snickers as the boys came back to reality.

"Shut up, Santana!" Kurt yelled after her, but he couldn't help the heat that rose to his cheeks. Blaine cleared his throat and licked his lips. Kurt looked back to his boyfriend, who just smiled sheepishly.

"You look amazing," Blaine said. "Seriously, your design is incredible." Kurt positively beamed.

"You look great too," Kurt said. "I'm glad I decided to nix the cape."

_The cape?_

"I don't even want to know," Blaine said with a smile. He approached Kurt and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

He didn't know what to do at this point. Blaine thought he heard someone mention that they had a little over two minutes before the Cirque began. He took a deep breath to steady himself and instinctively grabbed Kurt's hands.

"Are you ready for this?" Kurt asked, staring at Blaine from under his long eyelashes. Blaine felt his heart rise up in his throat and he just nodded, afraid to speak. Kurt gave him a reassuring smile and tugged on his hands, attempting to pull Blaine towards the opening into the Big Top for their line-up. Blaine tentatively shuffled his feet towards the line-up, trailing behind Kurt, who still held one of his hands in a firm, reassuring grip. Everyone stopped what they were doing as the two boys approached and looked at Blaine, smiles appearing on their faces. Blaine felt his cheeks burn as Mercedes started to clap. Her clap soon spread throughout the line until everyone was giving him a cheery round of applause. Blaine felt tears burn in his eyes and his heart swell.

"Thanks guys," he said, choking on the last word. Mike clapped him on the shoulder and Mercedes gave him a light punch on the arm. Puck announced that it was time after hearing Will give his final words in his introduction and they all took a large, deep breath. Kurt gave Blaine's hand one final squeeze before they all leaped out into the center ring.

Blaine's ears roared with the applause that sounded more like thunder and war drums and pure adrenaline all in one. He didn't know what to do, so he just waved and smiled, unable to pinpoint definite faces in the sea of people, all staring at him- at least, that's what it felt like.

"Cart wheel, Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed. Blaine gulped. Kurt taught him how to do one, but he was afraid he was going to fall right on his ass in front of so many people. With a sigh, Blaine mustered up his courage and extended his arms, shifting his weight to the left as he cart wheeled towards the ground, rotating back to his feet before he realized what he'd done. Kurt gave him a cheer and the crowd roared their approval. Blaine grinned and watched as the acrobats did flips he could never hope to perform.

They completed their circuit around the ring and Blaine look one final look out into the crowd before he disappeared with the other performers. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest, attempting to break free from his ribcage.

Kurt maneuvered him to a chair. Blaine gave a laugh that sounded both amused and crazy at the same time. Kurt just smiled and shook his head, saying something about getting Blaine some water before disappearing amongst the chaos.

"You alright?" Mike asked, appearing in front of Blaine. Blaine nodded and smiled.

"Just great, Mike," he said truthfully. Adrenaline was still pumping wildly in his veins, his heart rate off the charts. How could someone feel like they were having a heart attack and a fit of intense exhilaration at the same time? Mike seemed unconvinced, but smiled all the same and patted Blaine on the head before walking away.

"Here you go," Kurt said as he walked back. In his hand was a water bottle. "Drink some of this before you pass out." He unscrewed the lid and handed the bottle to Blaine. Blaine took it with a nod of thanks and gulped down the cold water. He handed it back to Kurt, half of the water already gone from the bottle.

"Geeze, Blaine," Kurt said, looking at the water bottle. "You need to calm down before you have a panic attack or something."

"I'm just so excited!" Blaine exclaimed. "I don't know what's going on with me."

"Just don't throw up on anyone, okay?" Kurt said, wagging a finger in Blaine's face. "C'mon, let's go stretch. Maybe it'll mellow you out." Blaine reluctantly rose from his seat and followed Kurt.

After a fair bit of stretching and an amazing shoulder massage from Kurt himself, Blaine felt sufficiently relaxed, that is, until he realized that over half of the performers had gone already.

And they had five minutes until they were on.

Blaine froze, eyes widening and jaw clenching painfully.

"Give me your hands," Kurt commanded, seeing realization wash over Blaine's face. He seized Blaine's hands in his and gave them a sharp squeeze. Blaine's eyes locked with his, pupils dilated.

"This is our moment," Kurt said confidently. "This is our moment to show the world what we are, what we have. It's going to be amazing. We are going to be amazing." Blaine took a sharp breath through his nose and nodded, smiling just the tiniest bit as Kurt's words sunk into his skin like a balm to his nerves.

"Yes," he said breathlessly. "We're going to be amazing." With that both boys pulled each other close, lips pressing together in the deepest, neediest kiss of their lives. Tongues battled and teeth clashed but they didn't care. Blaine moaned quietly as he moved to place his hand on Kurt's neck. Kurt pressed himself even closer to Blaine, bringing his hands up to cup Blaine's face, stroking his cheeks with his thumbs.

"Blaine," Kurt whispered against Blaine's lips. Blaine reluctantly pulled away, just the tiniest bit, to look into Kurt's eyes. Kurt took a deep breath and let out a shaky laugh.

"I love you," he said. Blaine gave Kurt a warm smile and pulled one of Kurt's hands from his face and intertwined their fingers.

"I love you too," he said. They took a moment to just stand in each others' presence, taking in each other's scent and the tangible feel of holding each others' hands. Blaine let his thoughts of Kurt ground him, keeping him from floating away like a balloon in the breeze. Kurt held Blaine's hands firmly, trying to transfer every positive feeling through that simple touch. They stood like that for three minutes, just grounding each other so that neither would find themselves lost in the chaos of their nerves.

"Alright," Kurt said, opening his eyes. "Let's do this." Blaine gave one firm nod of his hand, turning towards the split in the curtain where they would have to enter.

As they walked to the entrance, there was dead silence. Every performer stopped what they were doing watched the two boys, walking hand in hand. They were afraid to speak, afraid the silence would shatter into a million pieces.

Blaine and Kurt stood, side by side, listening to their introduction.

"And now ladies and gentlemen I give you a special treat! Our next act is a couple of aerialists who have done nothing but practice and perfect their act. Through hard work and determination, they have prepared you a show that is nothing short of spectacular! I give you Kurt and Blaine performing to Stephen Schwartz's  _Defying Gravity_ from the popular musical, Wicked!"

Blaine bit his lip as the crowd roared. He turned to look at Kurt, who was gazing at him with those beautiful glasz eyes. They exchanged a final, silent good luck before separating their hands and entering the center ring.

Immediately a purple spotlight was cast on Blaine and a green one on Kurt. The crowd gave an appreciative round of applause to welcome their next act.

Blaine heard the band begin. The synthesizer began to play and Blaine closed his eyes. As soon as the melody started, Blaine opened his eyes and began to dance.

He raised his hands high and brought them down, following them with his eyes.

_Something has changed within me, something is not the same._

He threw them out and spun on his foot, exuding a grace never seen by anyone but Kurt and the awe-inspired members of the Cirque de Joie.

_I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game._

Blaine reached out an arm towards Kurt. Only to bring it back, fingers dancing in front on his eyes as they fluttered closed.

 _Too late for second guessing, too late to go back to sleep_.

He took a step to Kurt before spinning towards the silks only to stop. He then began to take slow deliberate steps towards the purple one.

_It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes-_

He crouched down-

_And leap!_

Blaine launched himself at the silk, climbing up the silk with practiced ease. Kurt ran forward, staring up at Blaine as he ascended the silk. Blaine wrapped the silk around his legs and leaned back into his first trick. Kurt placed his hands on his hips as he watched the boy perform before ascending the green silk, trying to reach Blaine high in the air. As Kurt approached Blaine's position, Blaine pushed Kurt back with his foot, sending Kurt flying around in a wide circle. As Kurt swung out he extended his arm in a graceful sweep.

_And you can't pull me down!_

Blaine caught Kurt as he swung close to him. They locked their arms and swept their unlinked hands out, using Kurt's momentum to keep them spinning 'round and 'round in the air. The green and purple silks wound around each other and the two aerialists switched their direction in mid-air, unwinding their silks. Kurt grabbed Blaine hand as he began to slip down the silk. Blaine held on as he wound one foot around the purple and silk and the other around the green one. Blaine let go of Kurt and flipped himself upside down, keeping his legs straight with the rest of his body as he gripped the silks in each hand and unwound his legs, his legs falling so that he flipped himself upwards.

Blaine slid down the silk as Kurt maneuvered the silk around his legs, flipping himself upside down, legs spread out in a v-shape. Blaine looked on in wonder as Kurt held the pose for a moment before flipping himself upright to untangle his legs a bit before sliding into a split.

Blaine ascended the same silk Kurt was on, grabbing on to Kurt's ankles as soon as he was under the slighter boy. Anchored only by his own feet hooked around the split silk, he and Kurt began to spin.

_Unlimited, my future is unlimited..._

Blaine pulled himself up, unwinding his ankles. He climbed over Kurt, placing his feet on Kurt's thighs and grabbing the silks right above Kurt's hands. Kurt released and descended the silk. When he reached the ground he began to dance around Blaine's silk as Blaine performed, their moves in synchronization. As Kurt twirled towards the other silk he grabbed onto it with his hands, wrapping his feet around each end before ascending it.

He climbed up to Blaine's height as Blaine continued to flow into different poses. As he caught up with Blaine, they locked eyes, both taking a deep breath before the chorus resounded again and the boys began to move in unison, mirroring each other perfectly in every move. The crowd cheered and Blaine smirked when suddenly the aerialists were suddenly illuminated with blue, green, and purple light.

_And if you care to find me, look to the western sky!_

Kurt and Blaine looked as if they were dancing in midair. Will's jaw dropped as he watched the two boys. The intensity was tenfold what it was when he had watched them during a practice. The crowd roared as Kurt and Blaine spun in opposite directions, their arms and legs extended as they gripped the silks. They threw their legs out and hooked their legs around each others' so that they were now anchored to each other, halting themselves in mid-air. They then broke their connection and they each transferred the other half of their silk to one of their hands and wrapped an arm around each others' waist, looking into each others' eyes. As they did this Blaine wrapped a foot around his silk, making sure that it would hold strong.

_-is ever gonna bring me down! Bring me down!_

The music suddenly hit its final chord and, Kurt suddenly leaned backwards, arm sliding along Blaine's. Their hands met and Blaine held on to Kurt's hand for dear life as Kurt let go of his silk, pushing with enough force to set both boys spinning- Kurt suspended in the air by nothing but Blaine's grip. As the chord reached its end, every light in the Big Top extinguished-

_BRING HER DOWN!_

-leaving the crowd in complete darkness.

Blaine slowly slid them both down the silk, Kurt immediately hooking his toes around the silk when the lights turned off. As their feet gently touched the mat, the lights began to illuminate. Suddenly the two aerialists were hit by a massive wall of thunderous applause. Blaine's heartbeat thumped loud in his ears and he couldn't feel his limbs. He looked over at Kurt, who was out of breath, but beaming at the crowd. A smile began to creep along Blaine's lips and he began to laugh a loud, hearty laugh that raked his body and expelled every single negative emotion from his body as he saw people begin to stand as they clapped, beaming at the two boys.

"Let's give a round of applause for Blaine and Kurt!" Will exclaimed, walking into the center ring. He patted Blaine on the back and Blaine looked over at Kurt, overcome with emotion. Kurt beamed at Blaine placed his hand on Blaine's shoulder. Blaine grinned as the crowd continued to roar.

He couldn't be happier.

 

 

As soon as the two boys exited the center ring they were bombarded with hugs and cheers. Mercedes gave Blaine what had to be the best of his life, squeezing him until every bone in his body felt like jelly. Quinn and Tina excitedly squealed their approval as Rachel smiled politely. Finn and Puck were going on about them looking like sparkly ninjas as Sam and Artie both congratulated them on a good performance. Mike praised the two and then told Kurt to hurry up and change for the finale. Kurt gave Blaine a sloppy kiss on the side of his mouth, missing Blaine's lips in the excitement and chaos before he hurried to change into his gold and red costume.

"I'm afraid of following that act," Mike said honestly. "That was amazing!" Brittany came up behind him and grinned at Blaine.

"I didn't know you could move like that, Blaine," she said. "It was magical." Santana stood behind her and actually nodded in agreement, eyes sparkling with approval. Blaine grinned and ran his fingers through his hair, breaking up the gel that kept it in place.

"Thanks guys," he said. "I'm over the moon right now."

"Enjoy it," Mike said. "You deserve it." With that the other aerialists left Blaine to line up. Quickly Kurt ran up to meet them, now wearing a jumpsuit of gold and red. Blaine gave him a thumbs up just before the quartet had to go on. Kurt gazed at Blaine with eyes full of emotion that caused Blaine's heart to swell painfully in his chest. He watched Kurt go out with the others before flopping down onto a chair, head reeling.

He did it.

He  _did_  it.

"Oh my god," Blaine said. "I did it."


	29. Chapter 29

_"Have you been to the circus yet?"_

_"Tell me you've taken the kids to the circus that's in town!"_

_"Did you go to the circus last night?"_

The city was buzzing with talk about the Cirque de Joie. The nightly performances positively flabbergasted the audiences with their awe-inspiring acts filled with fire, death-defying stunts, and magic. Many came back after their first viewing to experience the enchanting sensation once again. People were especially wowed by the acrobatic and aerial acts, amazed by the skill the young performers possessed. Of course, every acclaimed act had its own set of criticism.

_"I cannot believe they had two boys dancing together! The audacity!"_

_"Were those two boys gay or something? It made me very uncomfortable."_

_"I had to shield little Susan's eyes! I'm amazed they flaunted that kind of homosexuality for the world to see!"_

But nothing could sway the performers of the Cirque de Joie, especially Kurt and Blaine. They were on cloud nine and nothing was going to bring them down.

Every night the tent was packed and every night the show was spectacular. After the first night of the performances, Will took all of the performers out to dinner to celebrate their great success.

"We have a surprise for you," Kurt whispered in Blaine's ear. "Close your eyes." Blaine sighed in amusement and put his fork down beside his delicious order of linguini, covering his eyes with his hands. Kurt checked to make sure Blaine could see nothing and then grinned, looking to Will who, in turn, looked to the waiter. The tall, suited waiter nodded before making a gesture with his hand.

Suddenly the restaurant was filled with a rousing chorus of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow". Blaine jumped in his seat and could stop the wide smile that spread gleefully over his face. He could smell candles and laughed as Kurt told him to open his eyes.

"Wow, guys- this is amazing!" Blaine exclaimed, looking down at the cake that had been set in front of him. White candles blazed in the center, the wax dripping lazily down onto the creamy frosting that was drizzled with chocolate sauce.

"We're proud of you," Mercedes said, beaming brightly at him. "We just wanted to show that."

"Blow out your candles man, I want some cake!" Puck said, earning a jab in the ribs from Rachel, who shook her finger sternly in his face. Everyone looked at Blaine expectantly and Blaine laughed, drawing in a big gasp of air before blowing out the candles with a great blow. Smoke curled towards the ceiling and Blaine began picking the candles off of the cake.

"Allow me sir," a waitress said, smiling at Blaine before leaning down to pluck the candles neatly from the top of the cake. Another waitress began cutting the cake in small slices, distributing them around the table.

They enjoyed their cake and their company, laughing and talking loudly as if they had no cares in the world. Blaine could honestly count that night as one of the best nights of his life, one he would think about for years to come to always bring a smile to his face.

When the second week came around for the carnival and circus, Blaine decided to take Kurt on a walk after the performances were over. He'd barely given enough time for Kurt to change into his normal clothes before jerking him away from the hustle and bustle and out onto the street, strolling under the street lamps and the stars.

"Blaine," Kurt whined, wiping at his face. His still had glitter all over his cheeks and his eyes, making him appear Elvin or fey-like in the lamplight's glow.

"I know, but I have a surprise," Blaine said, taking Kurt's hand. Blaine led Kurt to a small park that was only a block or two away from the Cirque. They could still see the brightly lit Ferris wheel rising high above the Big Top. Kurt looked all around at the trees and the street lamps. It felt otherworldly there, like a different place in time. Blaine led him to a nearby bench. They both sat down, shoulders and knees touching. They could feel each other's heart radiating off of their bodies.

"I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate what you've done for me, Kurt," Blaine said, intertwining his fingers with Kurt's. "You've shown me a world I only ever dreamed of being a part of and a relationship I thought I'd always have to live without." Kurt smiled softly and kissed Blaine on the cheek, leaving behind a trail of glitter in its wake.

"Aw, look at you," Kurt said teasingly, "getting all sappy on me are we?" Blaine chuckled and shifted to face himself towards Kurt, cocking his head to the side.

"I can be a romantic too," he said, weaving his head from side to side with a smile. "If just given the chance."

"Well continue my man," Kurt said, propping his arm on the back of the bench. He laid his cheek on his hand, glasz eyes looking at Blaine expectantly.

"Yes, sir," Blaine said mockingly as he placed his hand on Kurt's cheek, gently wiping away some of the glitter from his face. He brought his thumb up and wiped it on the tip of Kurt's nose. Kurt wrinkled his nose in that cute way Blaine loved and Blaine chuckled.

"Anyway," Blaine said, "back to the romantic me. As I was saying, I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate how much you've done for me and, well, how much I love you." Kurt's eyes softened and he gently caressed the back of Blaine's hand with his thumb. Blaine gave Kurt a small smiled before he reached into his back pocket, pulling out a small, red box. Kurt's eyes widened and Blaine couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that Kurt's mind probably shot to the worse possible scenario. At that thought Blaine chuckled and squeezed Kurt's hand before removing his to hold the box with both hands.

"It's not what you think," Blaine assured. Kurt visibly relaxed and laughed nervously.

"Oh, thank God," Kurt said, placing his hand over his heart. "I was ready to launch into a speech of how we're too young and how our relationship isn't legal in forty-four states." Blaine laughed loudly and shook his head.

"I love you, you know that?" Kurt shrugged and chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. Now what's in the box?" Blaine sighed, but a small smile was upon his lips.

"Well, I went out the other day and found this. I hoped it was something you'd love so-" Blaine opened the small red box.

Nestled inside was indeed a ring, though not the kind Kurt had almost panicked about. It was a simple band, shiny and black. Kurt tentatively touched it with his fingers.

"It's actually one of those rings with two bands on it," Blaine said. "The inner one can be spun around the outside one." He took it out and placed the box on his lap.

"That'll definitely fuel a nervous habit," Kurt said, eyes locked on the ring. Blaine smiled and the ring moved just a fraction in his fingers, enough that Kurt could see something glint from the inside of the ring.

"Did you have it engraved?" Kurt said, eyebrow arching. Blaine looked down at the ring and smiled.

"Yeah, it says  _Defy Gravity_. Cliché I know but that's exactly what you do, Kurt, and not just on the silks. There's a reason I found a bird. You fly, Kurt, and-" Kurt cut Blaine off with a searing kiss, pressing his lips hard against Blaine's own. The ring almost flew out of Blaine hand but he caught it at the last second, letting it slip onto his finger before gripping at Kurt's shirt.

"You're amazing," Kurt said against Blaine's lips before kissing him again, tongue circling Blaine's bottom lip. Blaine breathed hard through his nose and it took everything he had to take Kurt's shoulders and gently push him back, their eyes locking together with a united, burning passion. Blaine licked his lips and squeezed Kurt's shoulders before removing the ring from his finger and taking Kurt's hand. He slipped the ring onto Kurt's middle finger on his left hand. It was a perfect fit. He brought Kurt's hand up to his lips and kissed it, eyes fluttering closed had his lips touched that soft, pale skin.

"Blaine…" Kurt said, body buzzing and swirling with emotions. "I didn't get you anything." Blaine's eyes opened and he looked at Kurt under his long eyelashes. He put Kurt's hand down and wrapped his arms around Kurt's neck, pulling the boy into a hug. Kurt's arms snaked around Blaine's waist, hands pressed against his shoulder blades.

"You didn't have to," Blaine said into Kurt's ear. "I wanted to do this for you. I didn't expect anything in return." Kurt smiled and buried his head into Blaine's neck.

"I love you, Blaine," he said, breath tickling Blaine's skin. The curly haired boy sighed and held Kurt tighter.

"I love you too, Kurt. I love you too." They pulled away from each other and Kurt looked down at his ring with a soft smile. Blaine was positively ecstatic on the inside, his stomach doing cartwheels and his head buzzing with electricity.

"Let's go back to the hotel," Kurt said, looking up at Blaine. Blaine nodded, recognizing that fire that burned in Kurt's eyes. They took each others' hands and rose from the bench.

Kurt played with ring the entire way back.

 

 

Blaine sighed dreamily, head buried deeply into his pillow. He'd forgotten how great it was to sleep in with absolutely nothing to worry him. He reluctantly opened his eyes just a fraction to look at the clock before smiling to himself, rolling over to stretch out. It seemed his roommates had already gotten ready and left for the day.

With a loud groan, Blaine stretched and slowly sat up, curls helplessly tangled around each other and sticking up in awkward angles. He remembered the events of the previous night and smiled again before swinging his legs over to the side of the bed, toes touching the carpet. Blaine rose from the bed and picked up the remote, turning on the TV before walking over to the sink to splash some water onto his face. The sound of the news filled the hotel room as Blaine covered his skin with cold water and patted it with a towel.

" _And that's out weather for today. Be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen_!"

Blaine began to hum softly to himself as he squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush. He stuck the brush into his mouth, filling his mouth with a tingly, cool sensation.

" _In other news, detectives are still trying to locate a teenage boy from Lima. We have, today, an interview with Kurt Hummel's father, Burt Hummel_."

Blaine almost choked on his toothbrush. It dropped out of his mouth and clattered into the porcelain sink. Toothpaste dribbled down Blaine's chin.

" _What?_!"

 

 

Will sat by himself in the hotel lobby, nursing a coffee and a plate of uneaten scrambled eggs. He closed his tired eyes, trying not to nod off in the middle of the continental breakfast. Over to the right was a large flat screen TV, broadcasting the news. They had just said something about hot weather and sunscreen. Will didn't much care.

The Ringmaster was close to falling asleep in his scalding coffee when his ears caught something he wished he didn't hear.

"... _locate a teenage boy from Lima_." Will's eyes shot open and he looked to the screen, which was now displaying a reporter standing next to a rather humble looking man in his forties, wearing a red faded flannel shirt and a grey baseball cap atop his bald head. He looked remarkably like his son.

" _Burt, when did you first realize Kurt's disappearance_?" The reporter asked, shoving a microphone in Burt's face. The man seemed tired and worn. Will felt sorry for him.

" _He disappeared one night early this summer. I didn't notice he was gone until morning_ ," Burt said, voice struggling to be strong. " _After he disappeared he sent me text messages telling me he was alright, but he wouldn't tell me where he was_."

" _Didn't the police try to track your son's phone_?" the reporter asked. Burt's demeanor seemed to fall even more.

" _The local police didn't even try and by the time they had investigators on the case Kurt hadn't messaged me anymore_ ," Burt explained. " _They found the phone at an abandoned fair ground_."

Will watched the interview with interest, surprised he hadn't caught wind of the investigation before. He usually tried to defer these kinds of things. After a while they stopped searching for the kids and he didn't have to worry about it anymore. Will took a sip of his coffee and sighed.

" _What is your opinion on the rumors that your son may have run away to the circus_?"

Will shot up from his seat, hand gripping the coffee mug harder than necessary. A small bit of the scalding coffee had washed over his hand, but the only thing Will was focused on was the TV screen.

 

 

"They'll find him," Blaine whispered to himself. "They know."

Blaine was perched on the edge of his bed, hands clasped together tightly in his lap. His eyes were focused on the screen, mind darting between the sad appearance of Kurt's father and the information he was learning.

" _I wouldn't doubt it_ ," Burt said. " _Kurt used to take gymnastics and aerial lessons_." The reporter nodded and looked back to the screen.

" _The investigation has now moved to all circuses in the state. It you happen to see a boy who looks like this_ -" A photo of Kurt appeared on the screen, " _please do not hesitate to call the authorities."_

They then switched to another story. Blaine turned off the TV and walked numbly back to the bed. He sat down and cradled his head in his hands, heart beating a thousand beats a second, threatening to burst right out of his chest. This was terrible. This was absolutely terrible. And the worst part was that Blaine knew what had to happen. There was no other choice.

He rose from his bed and slowly walked to the door, knowing he had to find Will, but feeling like his heart was being shattered every step of the way.

 

There was a loud knock on Kurt's door. The aerialist looked up from his lap where Pavarotti lay. Kurt had just been watching some made-for-TV movie, where he had nestled himself in his bed and taken out the small yellow bird, caressing the soft animal.

Kurt rose from the bed and walked over to the door.

"Hey, Blaine," Kurt said with a smile once he opened the door. His smile immediately fell when he noticed Blaine's solemn expression. "What's going on?"

"We need to talk, Kurt," Blaine said in a low voice. Kurt gulped and let Blaine inside. Blaine motioned for Kurt to follow him to the bed. They sat down and face each other. Blaine took one of Kurt's hands and held it tightly in his own. Kurt's heartbeat thundered uncomfortably in his chest.

"What's wrong, Blaine?" Kurt asked, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Do you remember when you came to talk to me that day I saw my mom?" Blaine asked, eye's refusing to meet Kurt's.

Kurt nodded, remembering how hard it had been for Blaine, how much pain he'd been in.

"How could I forget?" he asked, attempting to meet Blaine's hazel eyes. "That was also when I made you promise to try learning silks." They both chuckled at the memory. Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand harder and brought his face close to Kurt's, as if to tell him a secret.

"Well, there was this moment when I said I couldn't muster up enough courage to confront my mother," Blaine said, finally looking deeply into Kurt's eyes, memorizing the shade of blue and the flecks of yellow that always surprised Blaine with their ever changing colors. "You said that we'd have to see a wizard." Kurt cocked his head to the side, trying to understand where Blaine was going with this. Blaine licked his lips and took a deep breath before continuing.

"After that I asked what the wizard could give you, but you already had a brain, a heart, and more courage than I could ever hope of having. You told me that we needed to worry about me then, but now it's time to worry about you." Kurt froze, shoulders going rigid. Blaine felt Kurt's muscles tense, as he knew they would, and finished what he needed to say. "You don't need a brain, a heart, or courage Kurt, but you do need to go home. You were swept here by a tornado of hate, but you need to go home and take care of your father. You're the only thing he has left, and he's the only family you have."

"But I have you and the rest of the circus!" Kurt protested, voice rising in pitch. "Why should I leave? I don't have anything left in Lima. He understands why I left. I can't leave this or you, Blaine!" Kurt's jaw clenched and his hand around Pavarotti tightened. Blaine leaned in closer wrapped his arms tight around a slighter boy, rocking him gently back and forth as Kurt shed reluctant, frustrated tears in Blaine's shoulder. He knew it had to be done. As much as he wanted Kurt to stay, he needed to be home with his father.

"I was watching the news this morning," Blaine said, throat tightening. "They had an interview with your father." Kurt sniffled and pulled away from Blaine, eyes red.

"How was he?" Kurt asked, concern heavy in his words. Blaine breathed through his nose and looked down.

"He looked awful, Kurt," Blaine admitted. "He seemed so tired and defeated." Blaine could see Kurt's heart breaking in front of him. Kurt's shoulders fell and his jaw went slack. His eyes darted down and his hands clenched, fingernails biting into his palms.

"There's something else, Kurt," Blaine said. "They, the police, are going to find you. They've heard rumors you've joined the circus and it's only a matter of time. Even if you didn't want to leave, you're going to have to." Kurt looked up at Blaine for a moment, eyes full of storming emotions, before burying his face in his hands, letting out a loud, heart-wrenching sob. Blaine pulled Kurt close, tears welling up in his own eyes, hating the world for ripping everything Kurt loved away from him.

He felt his own heart break as he held Kurt close, not knowing what to say or what to do. Blaine just held Kurt tighter, all sense of hope draining from the world.

 

 

Will agreed to let Kurt finish the week out. A new-found passion and emotion weaved itself in Kurt and Blaine's performance, leaving spectators breathless. The air was thick and heavy with a dark emotion that swirled menacingly throughout the Cirque.

Everyone was trying to give Kurt the best few days of his life. Even Santana was being nicer. Kurt tried to put on a brave face, but inside he felt deflated. He didn't know which emotion to feel more, grief for having to leave his home or remorse for breaking his father's heart. Blaine tried to stay with Kurt at all times, for Kurt's benefit as well as his own.

Mercedes was heartbroken when Kurt had told her the news.

"I'm going to miss you Kurt," Mercedes said, teary eyed. "You'd better come to see us whenever we're in town." Kurt could only nod and give her a warm hug, biting his lip so he wouldn't cry again.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way, Kurt," Will said one night, catching Kurt alone. "I want you to know that you were one of the very best performers to ever join the Cirque de Joie. I'm proud of what you've accomplished and I'm sorry to see you leave." Kurt was touched by Will's words and shook that man's hand, smiling in spite of the situation. Will had smiled back to lighten the mood, his expression forced, and then left Kurt alone.

The final night was spectacular and dreary at the same time. They made more revenue that night than any other and the performers had poured their hearts and souls into their acts. Will's heart was bursting with pride. Once the aerialists finished their final act and the Cirque was over, everyone gathered in the back in a circle. Blaine pulled Kurt into the middle.

"We're all going to miss you, Kurt," Quinn said, eyes sad. Mercedes pulled out a large card, almost as tall as she, and covered in glitter and feathers. She held it out for everyone to see.

"We made a card for you and we all wrote inside it. It has pictures too. It's so you can remember us," she said with a sad smile. Kurt smiled softly and took the card. Mike, Brittany, and Santana then came forward and handed him a piece of fabric. It was part of a silk.

"It's been a privilege to perform with you, Kurt," Mike said. "I've never seen anyone as talented as you."

"Thank you, Mike," Kurt said, clutching the silk. "I'll never forget performing with you three. Ever." He looked around to every face. "I'll never forget any of you. Thank you for what you've done for me." Everyone smiled at the aerialist. The air became silent and heavy. Will took a deep breath before speaking.

"Let us give Kurt this final round of applause. Thank you, Kurt, for joining our family. You can always call the Cirque de Joie home." With that he began to clap. The action traveled through the circle until everyone was cheering and clapping loudly, surrounding Kurt with sound. He laughed through his tears and smiled at them all, trying to take in every face, every name, every moment so that he could have them forever.

"Group hug!" Rachel exclaimed and Kurt was swarmed by hands and arms, crushing him against over a dozen bodies that held him tightly, as though to never let him go.

Kurt wished they never would.

 

 

Blaine was to take Kurt home. He's tried to get Kurt to turn himself into the police but Kurt refused. He'd rather spend those hours traveling home with Blaine, not stuck in the back of a police car.

Blaine held Kurt's hand in one of his own the whole way. They rode in silence for over an hour before Blaine had tried to lighten the mood, with some victory. They shared their stories, their favorite moments together. Kurt laughed at his own clumsiness. Blaine shared how he'd felt the first moment he'd seen Kurt perform. They talked about the bully at the diner and fireflies and of their feelings towards each other.

"How can I cope without seeing you every day?" Kurt asked, panic slightly edging his voice. "I've been so used to being able to talk to you whenever I wanted to."

"I'll keep in touch," Blaine said, squeezing Kurt's hand. "And I'll come to see you whenever I can." Kurt nodded and squeezed Blaine's hand back. They both fell silent for a while, and soon they drove into Lima.

They sky was dark as Blaine pulled into Kurt's driveway. Kurt had directed Blaine there reluctantly. He turned off the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt. Kurt did the same and just sat in the truck, unwilling to leave.

"You'll have to eventually," Blaine said, not really feeling anything in those words.

"I know," Kurt said. "But I don't have to leave just yet." With that Kurt pulled Blaine towards him and kissed him fiercely, hands all over the place. Blaine gripped Kurt's face and laced his fingers in Kurt's hair, uncaring whether he messed it up or not. Their kisses were desperate and needy and way too sloppy but they were between the two of them, and that's all that mattered. Teeth clicked against each other as tongues battled and Kurt moaned rather loudly, trying to commit everything about Blaine to memory. Blaine was trying to do the same.

Suddenly a light from an upstairs room came on.

Kurt froze. He looked through the windshield at the house, looking for any sign of movement. He didn't see any other lights turn on, but it was only a matter of time before Burt noticed another car in his driveway.

"Kurt," Blaine said, breathless. "It's time." Kurt nodded, taking a deep, steeling breath. They both opened the truck doors and slid out. Blaine grabbed Kurt's bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"Wait," Kurt said, gripping Kurt's arm. "I want you to have this." He shoved something yellow in Blaine's hand and Blaine realized it was Pavarotti.

"He'll be a reminder of me when I'm not around," Kurt said, looking down at the little bird. "Please keep him safe." Blaine bit his lip and put Kurt's bag down, wrapping his arms around the taller boy.

"I love you, Kurt," Blaine said. "I love you so much. Please take care of yourself and have courage." Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's waist.

"I love you too, Blaine," Kurt said. "Please, don't stop performing just because I'm gone." Blaine smiled and nodded, bringing their foreheads together.

The two boys leaned in for one final kiss, standing for what seemed like hours in the dark night, wrapped in each other's arms. It was Kurt who finally pulled away, eyes staring deep into Blaine's.

"I'll see you soon," Blaine said. "I promise." He leaned down and grabbed Kurt's bag. He handed it to Kurt before caressing Kurt's face with the back of his hand.

"You'd better go. You're father is waiting," Blaine said, feeling like ice was encasing his heart. Kurt smiled sadly at Blaine and pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly one last time.

"See you soon," Kurt said, eyes shining with unshed tears, before turning to face his own house. Blaine watched him walk to the door and pull a key out of his pocket. Kurt looked back and gave Blaine a smile before walking through the door. Blaine finally let his tears fall as the door shut with a soft ' _thud_ '.

He pulled himself into the truck and closed the door, breath shaky and mouth dry. Blaine buckled his seatbelt and turned on the ignition, slowly pulling out of the driveway.

As he drove away he prayed it would be long before he could see Kurt again, that it wouldn't be long before Lima once again played host to the great Cirque de Joie.

 


	30. Epilogue

Kurt was busy making breakfast in the kitchen as his father descended the staircase, clad in a blue plaid robe and a pair of worn flannel sleep pants. It had been a month or so since Kurt had returned to Lima and school had started back. To Kurt's relief, the bullying had died down significantly. It seems the school board had caught a whiff as to why Kurt had run away in the first place and instilled stricter discipline on bullying. Kurt still faced snide comments in the halls, but there was no physical violence.

Nor was there any sign of Karofsky. Kurt had heard he and his father had moved. Kurt was just glad he didn't need to worry anymore.

"Pancakes?" Burt asked, trying to stifle a large yawn. Kurt nodded and flipped one of the cakes, the batter sizzling on the pan. Burt fixed himself a cup of coffee before settling in the living room. Kurt heard the TV click on and he sighed, looking down at the ring that adorned his middle finger on his left hand, mind straying back to events a month prior.

When Kurt had walked into the house that night, Burt had rounded the corner with a shotgun, afraid it may be a burglar. The moment he'd seen Kurt standing in the door way he'd dropped the gun and descended the steps with a speed Kurt didn't think his father possessed. In seconds Kurt was surrounded by his father's strong arms.

"Kurt," Burt said softly, holding his son in an iron grip. "You're home." Kurt had bit his lip and buried his head in his father's shoulder, letting tears slide silently down his face. They stood in silence for what seemed like eternity. Kurt breathed in that familiar scent that was his father. He'd forgotten how much he'd missed it these past months. Even though he was sure his father had showered, he could still smell the scent of gasoline and axle grease, and it was glorious. For a moment, nothing mattered except that his father was happy.

After their reunion, Burt and Kurt sat across from each other dinner table in the kitchen. Kurt explained everything to his father- his reasons for running away, the Cirque, the aerialists, Blaine. Kurt had withheld the part where he had broken his arm. He didn't want to worry his father even more and besides, he was all better now. As he relayed his story, Burt sat and listened, fascinated in what his son had gotten into over the summer. He couldn't help but hear the deep longing and fondess that tinged Kurt's voice, the sadness when Kurt explained Blaine that Blaine had seen the newscast.

"Kurt, I'm sorry you felt like you had to run away," Burt said, hands wrapped around a large mug of coffee. "And I'm sorry you had to leave the circus." 

Kurt sighed and took a sip from his own coffee mug. He didn't know what to feel. Blaine was now long gone from Lima and he was stuck back where he'd started.

"Dad, I love you," Kurt said, staring down into the dark liquid. He hadn't even added any sugar or cream. It was as dark and bitter as he felt. "But I'm so afraid of going back to that hell. I don't want to be terrified again." Burt stared at his son and took in his appearance. Kurt looked much healthier than he was when he'd ran away, and the way Kurt spoke of this circus he's joined made it seem like heaven. The man sighed and closed his eyes, pain slightly pulsing in his head from the overwhelming swell of emotions he's experienced in the past hour and a half. Kurt just continued to stare at his coffee, unwilling to say more.

"Let me tell you something," Burt said, adjusting himself in his chair, light eyes staring fixed at his son. "I love you, Kurt. I'll always love you no matter what and I'll be damned if I'm going to let what happened to you at school happen again. My number one goal in life is your happiness." Kurt looked up, glasz eyes inquisitive and curious. Burt cleared his throat and leaned forward in his seat.

"How long does this circus-thing run for?"

After that conversation with his dad things seemed much brighter, though Kurt still felt a pang in his chest whenever he thought of Blaine or anyone else from the Cirque. It was only September and summer seemed a million light years away. Kurt wished the days would fly by as quickly as the summer had.

The first time Blaine had contacted Kurt was two days after Kurt had been returned to his father. Blaine told Kurt that they were now getting ready to head towards towns and city much farther away than their summer circuit. Kurt's heart sank, but he was happy to hear Blaine's voice again.

"I have something to tell you, Blaine," Kurt said. Blaine listened with interest, hardly containing his excitement when Kurt told him the news.

"Are you serious?" Blaine exclaimed, clutching the pay phone tightly in his hand. Pedestrians stopped to stare at him for a moment. Blaine felt heat rush to his face and he laughed nervously.

"I am," Kurt said, becoming excited all over again. "It's only for the summer months but think about it! Will you talk to Will for me?"

"Of course!" Blaine said happily. "I'll talk to him and tell everybody!"

"No, just Will," Kurt said, trying to calm his voice to normal speaking volume. "I want to keep it a surprise." Blaine sighed but agreed to keep their plan a secret.

"I have to go, Kurt," Blaine said reluctantly. "I need to go hang up fliers." Kurt couldn't help the disappointment that laced his voice, but he knew Blaine had to do his job.

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too, Kurt," Blaine said, putting all of his feeling in his words. "I'll be in touch soon."

Months passed. Some flew by as if caught in a strong wind. Others crept along as slow as icebergs. Blaine was counting down the days until summer. He could barely keep his and Kurt's secret. Will had been positively elated when Blaine told him the news and agreed to keep the plan a secret. Blaine wanted to tell Mercedes more than anyone, but he kept his promise. Instead he kept himself busy learning new routines with the aid of Mike, Santana, and Brittany. It was hard work, but Blaine learned more and more every day.

He kept in touch with Kurt often, but he'd been unable to visit him despite his promises. Kurt understood though, as much as he hated it. Phone conversations would have to do for now.

Months passed by and the weather shifted from autumn to winter, then spring. Soon it was May, almost June, and Kurt was busy running around the house with the unstoppable force of a man on a mission. Burt watched with amusement from the living room, not daring to get in his son's way.

"Need any help?" Burt asked as Kurt ran down the stairs, carrying a large bag behind him.

"No, just get in the car," Kurt said, chest heaving. Burt chuckled and shook his head, standing up from his armchair.

"Kurt, it's eleven o'clock in the morning. At least stay and have some lunch with your old man before you go off and leave for the summer." Kurt stopped in his tracks, eyes softening.

"Of course, Dad," Kurt said, stepping towards his father. "I didn't mean-"

"I know, Kurt, no need to go on a guilt trip," Burt said, silently berating himself for his choice of words. "Make us a couple of grilled cheeses and we'll talk about a few last minute details." Kurt reluctantly smiled and nodded, turning to enter the kitchen. Burt sighed, plopping back down in his chair. He was too old for this.

 

 

"Blaine, what is with you?" Mercedes asked, unloading the last of her things from the truck. "You're acting like the sky is going to fall any minute."

"Oh, nothing Mercedes, nothing," Blaine said, eyes darting all about, as if something was going to appear out of thin air and jump him at any second. He'd been like this since early this morning and everyone in the Cirque was on edge because of it. There seldom were secrets between the Cirque members and Blaine's uneasiness was making them nervous.

"Just calm yourself," Quinn said as she walked by, carrying a large box of sequined costumes. "You're going to give yourself an ulcer." Blaine scoffed and looked around again, eyes scanning for any glint of a windshield, ears scanning for the sounds of wheels on gravel.

Will noticed Blaine's anxiousness from his seat by the large, transport trailer and walked over to the boy, patting him lightly on the shoulder.

"He'll be here soon," Will whispered in Blaine's ear. Mercedes sighed, not able to hear Will's comment. Blaine nodded and sighed, leaning against the truck. Will nodded at Blaine before walking away, twirling his cane in his hand as he whistled a merry tune.

"Okay, what is going on?" Mercedes asked, hands firmly stationed on her hips. "Secrets don't make friends, Blaine."

"I know, but bear with me. You're going to be thrilled," Blaine said with a smile. "Trust me."

Just then Blaine heard the crunch of gravel under tires.

"Blaine, what are you doing?" Mercedes asked as suddenly, Blaine launched towards the car. She grabbed him by the collar and jerked him back.

"Mercedes!" Blaine choked.

"What is up with you boy?" Mercedes asked, having not seen the Expedition that was steadily coming towards them. Blaine shook his head and looked over to the car, which had stopped right by the large trailer. Blaine froze as he saw the driver's side door open. Burt Hummel stepped out of the car, looking tired but amused, and pulled out a large bag and slung it over his shoulder. Blaine saw Will begin to walk over to Burt, no doubt seeking to discuss how the summer Cirque was going to run and how Kurt would be living for three months. Blaine bit his lip, eyes glued to the passenger's side door. He heard Mercedes ask who "the bald dude" was, but he couldn't get his mouth to work.

Just then the passenger's door opened. Blaine's eyes widened and he took a step forward. A figure stepped out of the car and stood up, elegantly brushing back a stray bang as he did so. The figure turned and beautiful glasz eyes landed on Blaine's form. Blaine's face broke out into a wide grin.

"Kurt!" he exclaimed, launching out of Mercedes's grip. He heard her squeal in delight behind him. Blaine sprinted over to the car, rounding the door and grabbing the young aerialist by the waist.

"Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed as Blaine lifted Kurt into the air, spinning him around as if he weighed no more than air. Kurt laughed and wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck. Finally, Blaine placed him back down and grabbed Kurt's face, smashing their lips together in a bruising kiss. There was nothing else in the world at that moment, nothing but the two boys wrapped around each other and kissing like they've spent an eternity apart.

There was a commotion as everyone in the Cirque ran out to see what was going on. They all gathered in a group and watched as the two aerialists were reunited once more.

"He's back!" Mike exclaimed, looking at Tina with a bright smile. Brittany clapped in delight and Santana just gave her signature smirk. Quinn and Mercedes grinned at each other. Everyone else looked on with a smile, feeling like their family was complete once again.

Blaine finally pulled away from Kurt, not knowing whether to kiss him again or explode from the pure joy that he felt buzzing in his body, setting off synapses and shocking him through his veins.

"I've missed you," Blaine said, looking into Kurt's eyes.

"I've missed you too," Kurt said, smiling wider than he had all year. He felt complete again, like a lost puzzle piece that was finally put back into its place. Blaine took hold of Kurt's hand and grinned at him, looking down to see the ring he'd given Kurt those many months ago. Kurt just gave Blaine a knowing look and smiled.

Kurt's eyes darted to the crowd that observed their interactions and smiled at them. He could see Mercedes practically bouncing from excitement. Blaine followed Kurt's gaze and laughed to himself.

"C'mon," Blaine said, tugging at Kurt's hand. Kurt nodded and followed Blaine. He looked over to his father, who seemed to be in a deep discussion with Will. Kurt just sighed and continued on, knowing he'd get to have his goodbyes with his father soon.

They approached the group. Kurt looked over the faces he'd seen only in his dreams for months. They all stared back at him, seeming like a mirage and a tangible essence at the same time. Mercedes automatically ambushed him with a tight hug, which he returned happily. They laughed at each other and Mercedes pulled away, her bright smile like its own sun. Quinn and Brittany also gave him a hug, telling him how much they'd missed him these past few months. Mike stepped forward and shook his hand.

"So glad you're back," Mike said with a grin. "Blaine's had to deal with Brittany by himself." Kurt raised an eyebrow and looked at Blaine, who just shook his head.

"She's just more of a handful than I anticipated," Blaine said, the corners of his mouth curling upwards. "She'll be happy to have you back as a partner." Kurt chuckled and sighed, looking back to the whole cast. They all seemed so happy to see him. The thought made his heart melt.

Blaine gazed at Kurt as the boy looked over all of his friends, slightly wondering if this was all an amazing, wonderful dream. But Kurt's hand felt real, his lips felt real, and the happiness in his heart could only be a product of reality. Kurt's eyes met Blaine's and Blaine's eyes softened, gaze pointed at Kurt.

"Welcome back," Blaine said. "To the Cirque de Joie."

 

 

Every summer after that Kurt returned to be an aerialist in the Cirque de Joie. When summer ended he returned to his father and his home in Lima. He always left his heart with the Cirque though, and when Kurt graduated from high school he asked his father if he could join the Cirque de Joie full time. Burt only laughed and told Kurt that's what he'd expected him to do in the first place.

Blaine couldn't be happier to have Kurt by his side once Kurt had joined the Cirque full time. They, along with Mike, Brittany, and Santana, became one of the best aerial acts to ever grace the traveling circus circuit. Blaine finally felt like he belonged, fully and truly. Together he and the rest of the Cirque made a name for themselves and every year they had patrons flocking from all over to lay their eyes on the magic that never ceased to wow the crowd.

For years they performed with the family they held dear to their hearts. Every once in a while a new person would join the Cirque and they were always welcome with open arms.

One day Will had approached Blaine, then twenty five, and asked him to take on the role of the Ringmaster. Blaine agreed only when Will agreed to stay with the Cirque as long as he could.

Kurt and Blaine never stopped loving their job or each other for all those years. And if there was one thing to be said, it would be this:

They couldn't be happier.

_The End_


End file.
